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The Glacier's Gift 
 
 With Fourteen Illustrations 
 
 BY 
 
 EVA C. G. FOLGER 
 
 •^ 
 
 The Tuttle, Morehouse & Taylor Company 
 
 New Haven, Conn. 
 
 1911 
 

 COPYRIGHT, igil 
 
 Eva C. G. Folger 
 
 g)CI.A292951 
 
DEDICATION 
 
 To the friends whose sympathy and confidence inspired 
 my efforts ; to the people of Nantucket, who gave so 
 graciously and unsparingly of their store of knowledge ; 
 and to James Walter Folger, artist and woodcarver, through 
 whose untiring zeal so much heretofore unpublished data 
 was secured, this book is lovingly dedicated. 
 
 The illustrations in this work are copyrighted by J. W. 
 Folger, and used with his permission. 
 
 E. C. G. F. 
 
INTRODUCTION 
 
 It has not been my aim to write a history of an island 
 and its people of which much has already been told, but 
 rather a collection of facts, many of which have never 
 before been given to the public, giving in brief some idea of 
 the formation of the island itself, and touching lightly on 
 the genealogy of those few sturdy men who braved the 
 dangers of the sea and contact with savage tribes that they 
 might enjoy civil and religious liberty. 
 
 It is also my desire to give to the public a knowledge of 
 a few of the really great men and women who claimed this 
 isolated spot as their home, some of whom went far beyond 
 the confines of their birthplace and made themselves a 
 power for good in the great and busy world. 
 
 I have sought to give credit to whom credit is due in 
 the matter of quotations and am guiltless of intention to 
 plagiarize, although someone has said that all English 
 writers are plagiarists of necessity, simply because there is 
 but one correct manner of expression ; but laying all argu- 
 ments aside, my chief desire is that the book may prove 
 readable and entertaining, and above all, authentic in so 
 far as possible. 
 
 E. C. G. F. 
 
CONTENTS 
 
 Page 
 
 As it Was in the Beginning i 
 
 The Earth Receives Her King 8 
 
 The Rise and Fall of Utopia 17 
 
 The Age of the " Inner Light " • 29 
 
 The Hand that Rules the World 39 
 
 Gentlemen of the Old School 54 
 
 The Dark Tenant of the Wild 65 
 
 In the Olden, Golden Time 89 
 
 The Lights Far Out at Sea no 
 
 Here a Little and There a Little 123 
 
LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS 
 
 Facing 
 Page 
 
 Ship Citizen Frontispiece 
 
 Landing of White People 8 -" 
 
 Early Tide Mills at Polpis - i6 i-" 
 
 Cloth Weaving- Two Centuries Ago 36 
 
 Hon. Walter Folger 54 
 
 Astronomical Clock 58 "" 
 
 The Roundtop Grist Mill 64 ^^ 
 
 Siasconsett in 179 1 86 '•'^ 
 
 The (4) Original Grist Mills 90 '^ 
 
 Interior of Fulling Mill 96 ' 
 
 Rope Walks, Candle House and Ship Yards 102 •■ 
 
 Brant Point and Entrance to Harbor at Nantucket. , no . 
 
 Sheep Shearing 128 v 
 
 Sesacacha Pond and Village of Quidnet, 1850 138 ■. 
 
CHAPTER I 
 
 As it W^as in the Beginning 
 
 N Indian legend runs as follows : Once upon a 
 time there lived on the Atlantic coast a giant 
 who used Cape Cod for his bed. One night, 
 being restless, he tossed from side to side till 
 his moccasins were filled with sand. This so 
 enraged him that on rising in the morning he 
 Hung the offending moccasins from his feet, 
 one alighting to form Martha's Vineyard, while 
 the other became the since famous island of Nantucket. 
 
 So much for the legend. Fact ever remains stranger than 
 fiction, and the question arises — What inspired the Indians 
 to tell their story in such a manner that in its symbolism it 
 should compare so nearly with the scientific discoveries con- 
 cerning the formation of this land, which from the begin- 
 ning of time was destined to become so great a factor in 
 the general economy of nature? Was it a memory carried 
 over from some previous incarnation, or was it simply one 
 of those peculiar coincidences that gives to the author the 
 reputation of soothsayer and seer? This question may be 
 answered by the individual, according to the construction he 
 may see fit to place upon it. But outrivaling the most 
 glowing imagery, and standing parallel with the sacred 
 tradition of the creation, is the story of the Glacier's Gift. 
 
 "And darkness was upon the face of the deep." So 
 sayeth the Holy Writ. From zone to zone stretched one 
 vast sheet of water. Over this great sea for ages hung a 
 pall of fog and clouds, through which not the tiniest ray 
 of sunlight had ever pierced, till one day Divine Purpose 
 decreed that this ball, which had from the beginning been 
 without form and void, must now take its place among the 
 
2 The Glacier's Gift 
 
 planets to which it belonged. Changes in nature cannot 
 come suddenly without destruction ; no cataclysmic shifting 
 of the scenes is possible without utter annihilation, for thus 
 sayeth the Scriptures, "One day is with the Lord as a thou- 
 sand years." 
 
 So gradually from the waters arose the fronds of ferns 
 and palms. The age of the conifers was at hand. A tropic 
 heat pervaded the globe from Arctic Circle to the Equator. 
 With the advent of this age of verdure came the divine 
 idea of life. 
 
 The plants inhaled the elements of the air, and combining 
 them with the chemical processes employed in the creation 
 of plant life, in turn exhaled this amalgam, absorbing the 
 dampness and moisture, throwing off into the atmosphere 
 a rarefied product. As a result, the clouds that for ages 
 had hung like a pall over the sea, now slowly rolled away 
 and for the first time since this atom known as the earth 
 began turning on its individual axis, the king of day smiled 
 down upon a forest of unrivaled beauty. 
 
 Now the "waters were gathered together in one place," 
 and dry land appeared. In time grass grew, fruit trees 
 put forth their branches, while from the grave of the 
 fronded forest arose a hardier vegetation, establishing from 
 that time forth the law of the "survival of the fittest." 
 
 Living creatures now came to disport themselves on this 
 land, where all was good and beautiful. The mastodon 
 roved in freedom from the Equator to the Arctic Circle; 
 birds of the air, perching in the trees, chanted forth their 
 carols with a joy unalloyed. From zone to zone one vast 
 garden existed, filled with every living thing, over which 
 man was created to rule and hold dominion. 
 
 Stagnation means death; and as this world was not 
 created in vain, but for the fulfillment of a divine decree, 
 changes were constantly manifesting themselves. Each age 
 or period was to experience a phenomenon distinctly its 
 
As it JVas in the Beginning 3 
 
 own, the causes of which will remain a mystery till the 
 scroll that separates mortals from the All-Wise shall roll 
 up and reveal the secrets of the ages. 
 
 Another period is now at hand. The seaons came in turn 
 and the sun, which had cast its beams on all things with 
 the same degree of heat, by a slight tilting of the earth 
 from its regular orbit could only send its vertical rays and 
 heat toward the direct center. Spring, summer, autumn 
 and winter were now parts of the physical phenomena of the 
 earth. Severe and more severe became the winter season ; 
 ice and snow accumulated which the rays of the summer 
 sun could not melt. The time had come for the advent of 
 the giant Ice-king. For untold ages the ceaseless tides 
 of old ocean's gray and melancholy waste had washed the 
 Atlantic's rock-ribbed shore, lashing it in fury as the winter 
 winds swept unresistingly inland, and wooing with gentle 
 caresses when the balmy breezes of summer played lovingly 
 on the crests of the waves. 
 
 One day the Power who holds the waters in the hollow 
 of His hand, looked upon His creation and saw that it was 
 not good: another element was needed to complete the 
 structure of the mighty universe. The winds blew cold and 
 chill across the now frozen northland; the Arctic night 
 settled down with a pall of ice and snow. The giant had 
 come into his own. Day followed day and night succeeded 
 night, with no cessation of the biting cold; the snowwhite 
 hares, the hairless buffaloes that had been wont to rove 
 over the summer plains, the white owls and other birds of 
 the now frigid zone, driven and buffeted by the relentless 
 blasts, were overtaken and severely castigated by the cohorts 
 of the mighty giant, who with seemingly implacable wrath 
 sought to destroy all living things. 
 
 At last, weary and hungered, completely spent in the 
 unequal battle, animals and birds huddling together for 
 warmth and protection, slowly sank into the dreamless sleep 
 
4 The Glacier's Gift 
 
 of death ; the trumpet of Arctic playing their requiem, their 
 tombs of crystal outrivaling in magnificence the glittering 
 walls of the Taj Mahal. 
 
 And now the giant reigns supreme in this land of death 
 and desolation. How he gloats over his triumph ! For 
 countless ages he retains undisputed sway in this, his chosen 
 realm. He shrieks with demoniac glee as at his bidding 
 there arise mountain upon mountain, rampart upon ram- 
 part and castle upon castle of dazzling white. 
 
 But what is this change that is coming? It is a sinister 
 influence that is at work in this frozen domain of the 
 giant-king. In terror he discovers that some power mightier 
 than he is theatening to destroy the kingdom of which he 
 is so proud. A warm wind from the southland touches 
 but lightly the icy ramparts, yet 'tis enough ! — the castle 
 walls tremble, while angered and terrified the giant cries 
 aloud, entreating and commanding his cohorts to preserve 
 his habitation. 'Tis too late, for slowly the realm of ice 
 begins to move and, grinding, trembling to its very founda- 
 tion, starts out on its course, carrying everything before it. 
 Day after day, year after year, and age after age the 
 monster moves onward, impelled ever by the breath of its 
 archenemy, the south-wind. At last, at the bidding of the 
 guiding Power, the giant is halted in his onward march, and 
 resting in the embrace of the Gulf Stream, is overcome and 
 sinks slowly down into a watery grave. 
 
 Centuries now pass, but one day the "Spirit of God 
 moves upon the face of the waters." Out of the depths 
 emerges dry land, a fitting monument to that doughty 
 monarch who resisted so valiantly the efforts to deprive 
 him of his cherished kingdom. 
 
 God looked upon this late creation and found that still 
 it was not good; other elements were needed to perfect 
 and make it ready for its predestined purpose. Tidal waves 
 carried their freight of marine life, depositing it upon the 
 
As it IV as in the Beginning 5 
 
 land, building- layer upon layer of a foundation to a struc- 
 ture which, when accepted by the Master Builder, should 
 prove a sanctuary to an exiled humanity. 
 
 But the time was not yet. Ages were still to pass, while 
 Nature added her quota to the soil. Wintry winds hurled 
 the crested waves in angry war against the foundation, as 
 though seeking to destroy it, thus avenging the death of 
 the monarch who had been forced to abdicate his throne. 
 But the Power which had guided the atom to this safe 
 haven tempered the shock of the onslaught, bringing in its 
 turn the soothing touch of summer breezes. 
 
 Another change now comes over the face of nature. 
 The giant-king of the icy realms arises and, in his reincar- 
 nation, finds himself once more on his frozen throne, 
 wielding his scepter in Boreas' domain. At his command 
 the mighty blasts hurl themselves through the mist-laden 
 air and the Frost-king dominates the frozen zone. 
 
 Ages pass, history repeats itself, and once more that 
 subtle enemy of the snow- and ice-fields, the warm breeze 
 from the south, breathes once more on the crystal palace, 
 urging it from its foundation, directing it once again toward 
 the open sea. Straining, creaking bergs move out, gather- 
 ing through countless years rich material which is to find 
 anchor upon that spot, chosen by the Maker of land 
 and sea. On, on they move in majestic dignity, until once 
 again in the embrace of the Gulf Stream his appointed 
 task finished, the giant expires, to return to life no more. 
 Before the Creator's eyes lies the beginning of the Utopia 
 that is to be. 
 
 In preparation for man, who is to find refuge here, the 
 waves of the sea are mighty factors, casting up seeds 
 carried, perhaps, untold distances, to take root in this new 
 land, as yet destitute of verdure. 
 
 Feathery seeds, borne on ocean breezes from other 
 lands, descend here to find both sepulcher and rebirth. Pine 
 
6 The Glaciers Gift 
 
 cones and acorns, floating in on the tide, burrow into the 
 sand and lie dormant until, under the caressing- rays of the 
 summer sun, they send out shoots which in time to come 
 will furnish both shelter and fuel to the generations of 
 mankind that shall follow after. 
 
 Seedtime and harvest succeed each other in turn — the 
 planter, the ocean breezes ; the reaper, frosts of autumn and 
 snows of winter. Sea-fowls, driven before the trumpeting 
 blasts of icy winds, find refuge and surcease from an 
 unequal struggle. Gulls, feasting on the victims of restless 
 waves, fill the dreary waste with their raucous cries, thus 
 giving thanks for so stable a resting-place ; birds of passage, 
 wearying in their long flight across the waters, alight and 
 leave their contribution in paym.ent for the kindly hospi- 
 tality proffered by this seagirt atom. Fertility, further 
 aided by the decay of rock and debris cast up from the sea, 
 at last transforms this once desolate island into a veritable 
 garden. Trees, grass, flowers spring up and the "desert 
 blossoms as the rose." 
 
 In this retreat no human foot has trod, no voice has 
 yet been lifted up in prayer or praise ; the only music, the 
 songs of birds, or the mighty symphony of old ocean, as 
 its moaning surf is flung against the shore. No beacon 
 light has shed its rays across the waters, to warn venture- 
 some mariners of the treacherous shoals that lie a menace 
 in the sea. And thus it was that the island of Nantucket 
 came into existence. 
 
 This book is not by any means a geological treatise, but 
 the discoveries concerning the formation of this land must 
 be lightly touched upon. It is an undisputed fact that Nan- 
 tucket Island is one of the most perfect examples of a 
 terminal moraine in existence and at the present time marks 
 the terminus of the ice-sheet in North America, although it 
 is possible that the ice extended farther out to sea. It 
 it now believed that the portion of ice that formed the island 
 
As it IV as in the Beginning 7 
 
 came from Newfoundland, and while it is distinguished by 
 the name of lobe, is thought to have assumed proportions 
 sufficient to have almost formed a distinct ice-sheet. As 
 the moraine seems to rest upon older land, it may be 
 assumed that this foundation was produced by an earlier 
 descent of ice occupying the same territory. From examin- 
 ation of the oldest beds in the formation of the island, it 
 is thought that they date back no further than the Cretacic, 
 to which age some of the underlying clays are thought to 
 belong. Of this, however, there is no positive proof, but 
 laying aside all argument as to the age to which it belongs, 
 scientists are agreed in the verdict that Nantucket is truly 
 the result of the continental ice-sheets. No other spot in 
 North America offers so great an inducement to geologists 
 as this land lying in the sea. There is not a square inch of 
 its undulating moorland but affords most striking examples 
 of glacial deposit, erosion and drift. The topography of 
 the island is diversified by kame-hills, with their accompany- 
 ing kettle-holes which now go to the formation of most 
 attractive fresh-water ponds ; the contact slope of Tom 
 Never's Head and the apron plain of Miacomet, each in 
 itself presenting an aspect dear to the heart of every enthu- 
 siastic scientist. 
 
CHAPTER II 
 
 The Earth Receives Her King 
 
 OW many ages passed before this late creation 
 was discovered by man tradition sayeth not, 
 but in all probability it was seen many times 
 by adventurous mariners before any record 
 was made. 
 
 Going back to Norse history, we find that 
 during the reign of Earl Haakon, Erik the Red, 
 having killed a man, was forced to leave Nor- 
 way, going to Iceland, where he committed another murder. 
 For this he was banished, and having by some means heard 
 of the great country to the westward which had been dis- 
 covered by a sailor driven thence by a storm, he hastily got 
 a crew together and started on a voyage of discovery, 
 coming to the land in 984. This was afterward named 
 Greenland. 
 
 Erik returned to Iceland, secured a party of colonists and 
 making the second voyage, established a number of settle- 
 ments to which his son, Leif Erikson, in 999, with a com- 
 pany of priests and teachers, journeyed and preached 
 Christianity to the people and by these means established 
 monasteries, schools and churches, which were maintained 
 by prosperous colonists until late in the fourteenth century. 
 Again the stormy seas were active agents in the discovery 
 of new lands. One Biarne Heriulfson, sailing westward 
 from Iceland, encountered rough weather. Losing his 
 bearings, he touched upon strange shores which he knew 
 could not be Greenland, but without investigating further 
 he turned from his course and came at last to Greenland. 
 He was soundly ridiculed upon his return for not having 
 explored these new lands. 
 
The Earth Receives Her King 9 
 
 Venturesome Leif Erikson obtained possession of Biarne's 
 ship and in the year 1000 set sail with a crew of thirty-five 
 men, to see what he could find of these much-talked-of 
 lands. This voyage resulted in the discovery of Newfound- 
 land and Nova Scotia. 
 
 Leaving these new discoveries, Leif and his crew set 
 sail again and in two days' time landed on an island on the 
 north side of the mainland. Here the party found a very 
 pleasant country, and loading their vessel with timber and 
 grapes, which they found in abundance, they sailed back 
 to Greenland, after having named this country Mnland. 
 
 Again, in 1002, Leif Erikson's brother, Thorvald, sailed 
 toward the south with a band of thirty men. They came to 
 Vinland and remained there during the winter, putting in 
 their time fishing. When spring came the party was sent 
 out in a long boat to a country at the south, which they 
 found to be heavily wooded and beautiful in the extreme. 
 There were many islands and shallow water just off this land. 
 The party returned to Vinland, where they again spent the 
 winter, but in the spring Thorvald sailed to the eastward 
 and cruised northward along the land. A storm arising, 
 the vessel was driven to the shore of the Cape, where the 
 keel being broken, they were forced to make an extended 
 stay in order to put the vessel into commission again. "We 
 will stick up the keel here upon the ness, and call the place 
 Keel-ness," said Thorvald. This country is assumed to 
 have been the Cape Cod of to-day. 
 
 In 1005, Thorstein, another brother of Leif Erikson, 
 made explorations on the coast, and lastly, in 1007, a dis- 
 tinguished navigator, Thorfin Karlsefne, with a crew of one 
 hundred and fifty men, explored the New England coast, 
 going as far south as Virginia. As late as 1347 Norwegian 
 sailors are said to have visited Labrador and other parts 
 of the New England coast. While historians of Iceland 
 give accounts of explorations of their hardy countrymen, 
 
lo The Glacier's Gift 
 
 and as told, at the mention of America the school children 
 of Iceland will speak with much enthusiasm, saying that 
 "Leif Erikson discovered that country in looi," still noth- 
 ing definite is known of their real discoveries. A manu- 
 script, known as the Flate-yar Bok, was written in the 
 fourteenth century, recording accounts of the Vinland 
 explorations. This book is said to be written on parchment, 
 and is considered the most beautiful piece of penmanship of 
 that age and was the work of two priests. 
 
 It is known that Columbus visited Iceland in 1497, for 
 the purpose of obtaining information concerning nautical 
 matters, and it seems strange, indeed, that he should not 
 have learned something of the discoveries entered in this 
 Flate-yar Bok. While in all probabiHty Nantucket is one 
 of the islands mentioned in these records, yet of this there 
 is no proof ; and although these hardy and venturesome 
 mariners were much given to sailing unknown seas and 
 exploring new lands, the world is little, if any, better off 
 for their undertakings. 
 
 The first record we have of English explorers is that of 
 the Cabots. In May, 1496, Giovanni Caboto, or as he is 
 better known, John Cabot, a Venetian mariner, was com- 
 missioned by King Henry to make explorations in the 
 Atlantic Ocean and to carry the English flag to whatever 
 lands he might thus discover. With five well-fitted ships he 
 left Bristol in April, 1497, and on June 24 Labrador was 
 reached. Ridpath avers that "this was the real discovery 
 of the American continent." Cabot found no inhabitants, 
 but planted the English flag, thus claiming the land as an 
 English possession. 
 
 In 1498, Sebastian, a son of John Cabot, who had accom- 
 panied his father on the first voyage, now took the oppor- 
 tunity offered and with his father's fleet set forth on a 
 personally conducted voyage of discovery, the much sought- 
 for northwest passage to the Indies being the objective 
 
The Earth Receives Her King ii 
 
 point. Touching- near the former discoveries, the fleet 
 cruised down the Atlantic seaboard, sighting the New 
 England coast for the first time since the Norse explora- 
 tions. It is probable that Nantucket was one of the islands 
 seen, but still the time had not come for this particular spot 
 to attract special notice. 
 
 In 1524, John Verrazani, a Florentine navigator, set out 
 with a view to discovering a northwest passage to Asia. 
 He first sighted land near Wilmington, North Carolina ; 
 turning north he touched Cape Fear, and continuing on his 
 way, he explored the coast of New England with great 
 care. Why he did not make the acquaintance of our island 
 and get the credit for its discovery is one of the mysteries 
 which will never be made clear. 
 
 In 1602 the English flag was brought to the American 
 shores. This time the honor is due Bartholomew Gosnold. 
 The only known route from Europe to the New World was 
 a roundabout way. Ships often headed for the eastern 
 coast of America first sailed to the Canary Islands, thence 
 to the West Indies, at last turning north to gain their 
 destination. Gosnold conceived the idea that this course 
 was unnecessary and fitting out a single vessel, the Dolphin, 
 proceeded directly across the ocean, reaching the coast of 
 Maine in seven weeks, making a gain of at least 2,000 
 miles. He explored to the southward, landing at Cape Cod, 
 thus making the first landing of the English in New Eng- 
 land. Passing around Cape Malabar, the vessel left Nan- 
 tucket on the right and turned into Buzzards Bay, selecting 
 the most westerly of the Elizabeth Islands, on which the 
 first English settlement was established. 
 
 The reader may consider the foregoing a digression and 
 possibly irrelevant to the subject in hand, but the early 
 explorations and discoveries should never fail to interest 
 the student of American history. It is not my purpose, 
 however, to repeat these already well-known facts, only 
 
12 The Glacier's Gift 
 
 insomuch as is necessary to call the reader's attention to 
 the numberless times the island of Nantucket might have 
 been discovered and colonized, thereby gaining the honor 
 of having been the first settlement in North America. 
 
 But the Guiding Hand which saw fit to place this land 
 in such a location that it might be the guardian at the 
 gateway of New England coast traffic, foreordained that its 
 discovery should be left to the Anglo-Saxon, that indom- 
 itable race which can never be superseded and through 
 whose virility and progressiveness all things are possible. 
 The real history of the island begins in 1659, when it was 
 settled by the ancestors and founders of many prominent 
 families, whose representatives are to be found throughout 
 the entire world at the present time. 
 
 History tells of the transaction between the Plymouth 
 Company and William, Earl of Sterling, whereby "Pema- 
 quid, and its dependencies on the coast of Maine," also 
 Long Island and adjoining islands, became the property of 
 said Earl of Sterling in the year 1635. Two years later, 
 James Forrett became the agent of the earl and was com- 
 missioned to sell or settle all islands between the Cape and 
 the Hudson River. Accordingly, in 1641, Thomas Mayhew 
 and his son Thomas purchased the island of Nantucket from 
 James Forrett for "such annual acknowledgment as shall 
 be thought fit by John Winthrop, the elder esquire, or any 
 two magistrates of Massachusetts Bay" ; and as Sir Fer- 
 nando Gorges also claimed the title to the island, the 
 elder Mayhew obtained another conveyance of Nantucket 
 and other islands from Richard Vines, who was Gorges' 
 agent. 
 
 Thomas Mayhew sold the rights he had acquired from 
 Sterling and Gorges in 1659 to nine others ; namely, Tris- 
 tram Coffin, Thomas Macy, Christopher Hussey, Richard 
 Swain, Thomas Barnard, Peter Coffin, Stephen Greenleaf, 
 John Swain and William Pyle, for the sum of thirty 
 
The Earth Receives Her King 13 
 
 pounds and two beaver hats, "one for myself and one for 
 my wife." Mayhew reserved a one-twentieth share of the 
 island and was to share in the profits and losses of the 
 enterprise. Each of the purchasers was allowed to choose 
 an associate, and in this manner John Smith, Nathaniel 
 Starbuck, Robert Pike, Thomas Look, Robert Barnard, 
 James Coffin, Tristram Coffin, Jr., Thomas Coleman and 
 Edward Starbuck became purchasers, who bought of the 
 Indian sachems the right to the island in 1660. 
 
 As to the settlement of the island, there have been various 
 versions, the most entertaining one being told in Whittier's 
 legendary poem, "The Exiles," which portrays most vivdly 
 Macy's escape from the sherifif and priest after having been 
 detected in the act of harboring a Quaker, an act con- 
 sidered a crime in those days of religious bigotry. The poet 
 tells the story of the exiles landing on Nantucket in the 
 following words : 
 
 "Far around the bleak and stormy Cape, 
 
 The ven'trous Macy past. 
 And on Nantucket's naked isle. 
 
 Drew up his boat at last, 
 And how in log built cabin, 
 
 They braved the rough sea weather, 
 And there in peace and quietness, 
 
 Went down life's vale together." 
 
 All will agree that the legend is a pretty one and romantic 
 enough to please the most fastidious, but it is a version 
 of the settlement of Nantucket which is refuted by all 
 reputable historians. 
 
 A more accurate statement of the case is given in a part 
 of the Macy genealogy. Thomas Macy, a native of Salis- 
 bury, in Wiltshire, England, came to America about the 
 year 1639 and became one of the original settlers of Salis- 
 bury, Massachusetts. He seems to have been a prominent 
 man, being a planter, merchant and Baptist minister. 
 
14 The Glacier's Gift 
 
 The Massachusetts laws enacted in 1656 and 1657, 
 restricted the freedom of worship and prohibited the enter- 
 taining of Quakers. Thomas Macy was fined thirty shillings 
 for violating this law, having sheltered Edward Wharton, 
 William Robinson of London, and Marmaduke Stephenson 
 of Yorkshire, England. The two last named were after- 
 ward hanged on the Boston Common, for having had the 
 temerity to return to Massachusetts, after having been 
 banished on the charge of being Quakers. 
 
 Not being satisfied with his paying a fine and apologizing 
 to the court for his defection, the magistrates ordered that 
 he be admonished by the government. This action, com- 
 bined with the arrant bigotry and religious persecution 
 which exiled Ann Hutchinson and Harry Vane, and drove 
 Roger Williams to a life with savage tribes, which was to 
 be preferred to one in Massachusetts, and tiring of the 
 eternal vigilance exercised by the magistrates, Macy, taking 
 his wife and children, in company with Isaac Coleman and 
 Edward Starbuck, embarked in a small boat at Salisbury 
 and, with the really necessary household effects, set sail 
 for Nantucket, where they built a hut and spent the winter 
 of 1658 and 1659. 
 
 This was the beginning of the town of Sherburne, which 
 was situated southeast from Capaum Pond, the generally 
 accepted version of the settlement at Madaket to the con- 
 trary notwithstanding. Macy, in his history of Nantucket, 
 states that the first settlement was made on the southeast 
 side of Madaket Harbor, but later investigations have 
 proven that Tristam Coffin had his house lot laid out near 
 Wannacomet Pond, and near this was the site of Thomas 
 Macy's first abode. There are still to be found many evi- 
 dences of human habitations, such as indentations supposed 
 to be filled cellars, etc., thus entirely exploding the theory 
 that Madaket was ever a town. 
 
The Earth Receives Her King 15 
 
 During' tlie winter Macy consulted with the Indians, who 
 then inhabited the island, on the question of rights and 
 privileges to be accorded the purchasers whom he repre- 
 sented. That Macy was more than a voluntary exile is 
 refuted simply owing to the fact that he returned to Salis- 
 bury in 1664, where he still retained property. It may be 
 safe to say that although, as has already been stated, a 
 desire to escape religious persecution may have been one 
 cause of his leaving Salisbury, yet behind all, there was 
 probably a greater desire to better his financial standing", 
 and the spirit of commercialism was a greater factor than 
 the much exploited craving for religious liberty. 
 
 Although the Mayhews made their purchase in 1641, yet 
 nothing of historical value seems to have occurred for a 
 long stretch of years extending from this date to 1659, up 
 to which time the greater part of the island was owned 
 solely by the Mayhews ; and although the conveyance to the 
 nine purchasers occurred July 2, 1659, it appears that 
 possession was not taken till 1661. From time to time 
 sachems' rights were secured, until the entire island of 
 Nantucket passed into the hands of the white man. After 
 Mayhew's purchase, a discussion arose over the state owner- 
 ship of the island, Sir Fernando Gorges, governor of Maine, 
 claiming it for his state. In 1664 the Duke of York was 
 granted a certain amount of territory in America, of which 
 Nantucket was a part. Francis Lovelace was appointed 
 governor of New York and its dependencies, and in 1671 
 gave the settlers a patent which confirmed the deed of 
 Forrett, the consideration paid for the patent being "four 
 barrels of merchantable cod-fish to be delivered to New 
 York annually." 
 
 There was two conditions attached to this patent; first, 
 that certain lands should be purchased from the Indians 
 and that these purchases would be confirmed and ratified 
 by the Crown of England. 
 
1 6 The Glacier's Gift 
 
 A still later patent, known as the Dongan patent, was 
 found necessary "owing to the capture of New York by 
 the Dutch in 1684 and its subsequent reversion to the 
 English." This last instrument bore the date of June 
 2y, 1687, and "is the basis of all titles of Nantucket." By 
 an act of Parliament in 1692 the island was transferred to 
 the Massachusetts Province. The town which had been 
 situated at or near Capaum Pond and bore the name of 
 Sherburne, was moved to Wesco, its present site, in 1673. 
 The name was changed to Nantucket in 1695. There has 
 been much discussion over the origin of the word Nan- 
 tucket. It has been spelled in various ways, Nanticon, 
 Natocke and Natocket being the more familiar. Some 
 writers have tried to prove a Norse origin, while others 
 believe it to be of Algonquin derivation ; another and most 
 plausible derivation is mentioned by Worth in his "Indian 
 Names," preference being given to the word Natocket, an 
 Indian name meaning "the land far off at sea." Whatever 
 the origin may have been, it was first known by its present 
 name of Nantucket in the deed granted to Mayhew by 
 Forrett in 1641. Etymologists have not been alone in 
 having their fling, for a punster and wit in one of the most 
 amusing limericks, tells the public that, 
 
 "There was an old man in Pawtucket, 
 Who kept his cash in a bucket: 
 
 His daughter named Nan, 
 
 Ran away with a man, 
 And as for the bucket — Nantucket." 
 
CHAPTER III 
 
 The Rise and Fall of Utopia 
 
 N the previous chapter mere mention was made 
 of the nine original purchasers of the island ; 
 and although it would be impossible to give in 
 full the lives of the entire list of really impor- 
 tant personages without entering deeply into 
 genealogy which is not interesting to other than 
 those personally concerned, still it is only just 
 that those to whose credit the largest number 
 of descendants is due should receive passing notice at least. 
 As the necessity of intermarriages between cousins in those 
 early days has made all the island world akin, one man's 
 biography might almost serve to meet the requirements 
 of one common ancestry. A story proving the relationship 
 existing among the island families is that told in a Nan- 
 tucket woman's reply to a stranger. The latter in telling 
 of the meeting of someone in Nantucket said : "By the 
 way, I believe she is a cousin of yours." "No doubt," 
 replied the Nantucketer; "I have five thousand cousins 
 here." As that was about the total number of inhabitants 
 on the island at that time it shows conclusively how careful 
 a stranger should be of passing adverse criticism on one 
 native in the hearing of another. 
 
 As much has already been said of Thomas Macy in 
 regard to the early settling of the island, his name will not 
 here receive further notice other than he was ever prominent 
 in the affairs of the island, being the first recorder there 
 and afterwards appointed chief magistrate. He was a 
 friend of the Indians and was vigorously opposed to selling 
 them liquor, realizing that of all bad Indians a drunken one 
 is the worst. Macy's death occurred in Nantucket April 
 19, 1682, in the seventy-fifth year of his age, and though 
 
I S The Glacier's Gift 
 
 he left but one son, John, who married Deborah Gardner 
 and died at the early age of thirty-six, the numerous Macys 
 of to-day trace their origin to this source. 
 
 Anything written of Nantucket would indeed be incom- 
 plete if the name of Starbuck were omitted. The founder 
 of that family, Edward Starbuck, came to Dover, New 
 Hampshire, from Derbyshire, England, in 1635. He was 
 a man of means and prominence in Dover, but having 
 offended against the laws by embracing the Baptist faith 
 and learning that proceedings were to be instituted against 
 him, he left that place and falling in with Macy, who was 
 about to embark for Nantucket, joined in the enterprise. 
 It was said that "Dover lost a good citizen and Nantucket 
 gained a much respected one." He was a magistrate and 
 one of the leading men of this island colony. His son, 
 Nathaniel, married Mary Coffin, and they were ever prom- 
 inent in all the affairs of state, becoming enthusiastic 
 Quakers and leading spirits in the religious life of that day. 
 This family is also numerous and to be found in all parts 
 of the world. The name is said to be of Norse origin, sig- 
 nifying "great," "grand." 
 
 To the name of Coffin belongs the distinction of the most 
 lengthy genealogy of any family of the island. As much 
 has been written by others concerning it, very brief mention 
 will be made here. Tristram Coffin, one of the original nine 
 purchasers of the island of Nantucket, was born in Brixton, 
 Devonshire, England, in 1605. He married Dionis Stevens 
 and with his family came to America, settling first at New- 
 bury, later going to Haverhill, thence to Salisbury, where 
 he resided till 1660 or 1661, when he removed to Nantucket, 
 building a mansion which he occupied the remainder of 
 his life. As the Coffins were often associated with royalty 
 in English history, so here Tristram became a favorite with 
 those in authority, being appointed chief magistrate by 
 Governors Lovelace and Andros. The famous contest 
 
 / 
 
The Rise and Fall of Utopia 19 
 
 which took place between Coffin and Gardner forms an 
 interesting addition to this chapter. Harriet Worren, in her 
 book, "Triistum and His Grand-Children," gives some idea 
 of the multiplication of this family in America. Tristram 
 Coffin died October 2, 1681, aged seventy-six years. 
 
 Another purchaser of English birth was Christopher 
 Hussey. When quite a young man he went to Holland, 
 where he fell in love with the daughter of Stephen Bachelor. 
 Hussey was allowed to marry her on the condition that 
 he with his bride would accompany the reverend father-in- 
 law to America. Accordingly they embarked, arriving in 
 Boston in 1632, where they remained until Christopher 
 became one of the original purchasers of Nantucket in 1659. 
 He was a sea captain and one of the few who doesn't seem 
 to have been the recipient of political pie. One version of 
 his death is that he was shipwrecked and eaten by cannibals, 
 but as the Christopher of whom this is true was of a much 
 later generation, we can conclude that this was simply a 
 case of mistaken identity, as the subject of this sketch 
 died in Hampton, New Hampshire, March 6, 1686. 
 
 Although not one of the original purchasers, the name of 
 John Gardner must ever be given more than passing notice 
 in any work relating to Nantucket. He was a seaman and 
 resided in Salem for many years. His coming to the island 
 was in accordance with the desire of the colonists, who 
 granted him one-half a share of land, providing he remained 
 at least three years, his occupation to be the ''taking of 
 codfish and establishing a trade in that commodity." Gard- 
 ner was not a man of education, but he was possessed of 
 such personal courage and executive ability that he was 
 soon recognized as a leader. He resided on the island for 
 thirty years and held office almost continuously during that 
 time. He was appointed chief magistrate three times, was 
 deputy to New York, where he was sent by the desire of 
 the people, was treasurer and selectman, filling each of 
 
2 The Glacier's Gift 
 
 these offices with much dignity and honor. He is said to 
 have been opposed to the Quakers and objected to their set- 
 thng on the island, but aside from Peter Folger, the Indians 
 had no better friend and protector than John Gardner. In 
 1699 he became judge of probate, holding that office until his 
 death, which occurred in 1706. His grave is to be found 
 in the ancient burying ground and is marked by a granite 
 slab, which tells to the world that "Here Lies ye Body of 
 John Gardner, Esq., Aged 82, Who Died Alay 1706." 
 
 Another early settler, who was the original of numerous 
 progeny, was Peter Folger. He was born in Norwich, Eng- 
 land, about the year 1617. His parents were John and 
 IVIeribah Gibbs Folger, and with them he came to America 
 in 1635. They were passengers on the same ship which 
 brought Rev. Hugh Peters, the regicide, to the New World. 
 With the Peters family came a maid, Mary IMorrell, with 
 whom Peter Folger fell in love and, as is told elsewhere, 
 he purchased her time of her master, and upon arrival in 
 America made her his wife. They first settled in Water- 
 town, but in 1660 they removed to Martha's Vineyard, 
 where Peter taught school and acted as surveyor for the 
 Mayhews. He learned the Indian language and was inter- 
 preter for them. He evidently was extraordinarily devout, 
 as it has been said of him that he greatly assisted Thomas 
 Mayhew, Jr., ''in instructing the youth in reading and 
 writing, and the principles of religion, by catechizing, being 
 well versed therein." When Mayhew went to England, he 
 left Peter in charge of his mission at the Vineyard. John 
 Folger died at Martha's Vineyard in 1661 or 1662. 
 
 In 1660 or 1661 the owners of Nantucket met at Salisbury 
 and appointed Tristram Coffin, Thomas Macy, Edward Star- 
 buck, Thomas Barnard, and Peter Folger of Martha's 
 Vineyard, to "measure and lay out the land, and whatso- 
 ever shall be determined by them, or any three of them, 
 Peter Folger being one, shall be accounted legal and valid." 
 
Tlic Rise and Fall of Utopia 21 
 
 There have been many discussions arising from the asser- 
 tion often made that Peter Folger was the only educated 
 man among the early settlers. However overdrawn the 
 statement may be, yet the fact remains that he was an 
 all-around man, showing an ability to fit in all places where 
 assistance was needed. He was a tradesman, interpreter, 
 miller, blacksmith, shoemaker, preacher and schoolmaster. 
 He had a house lot, laid out by Tristram Coffin and Thomas 
 Macy, at a place called Rogers Field, and in 1663 was given 
 a deed to one-half share of land (that is, half as much as 
 any of the twenty purchasers possessed), on condition 
 that within a year he and his family of eight children should 
 move to Nantucket, where he was to act as interpreter of 
 the Indian language whenever it should be necessary. In 
 1673 he became clerk of the writs and records to the court. 
 Tradition has it that Folger was a Baptist preacher and that 
 he baptized Mary Starbuck, daughter of Tristram Coffin, 
 in a pond, as they later said, "through blind zeal." He 
 was something of a writer, being given to the writing of 
 both poetry (?) and prose. One of his publications, "The 
 Looking Glass for the Times," came out in 1675 or 1676. 
 He died about the year 1690, being survived by his widow 
 until 1704. She was an exceedingly fleshy woman and car- 
 ried her own chair with her when she went to visit the 
 neighbors. That Folger was, to say the least, one of the 
 great men of his time, is putting it lightly indeed. At any 
 rate, many of the brightest minds the world has ever 
 produced can trace their descent back to this sturdy colo- 
 nist. In the list are to be found the names of Benjamin 
 Franklin, Lucretia Mott, Honorable Walter Folger, Charles 
 J. Folger and Maria Mitchell. 
 
 Owing to the fact that some of the purchasers never 
 came to the island to live, the foregoing names must suffice 
 to give the reader some idea of the character of these sturdy 
 settlers. As a general summing-up of the qualities of the 
 
2 2 The Glacier's Gift 
 
 different families that sprang from these early colonists, 
 the verses ascribed by Godfrey to one Phineas Fanning, 
 who married Keziah Coffin, daughter of the famous Miriam, 
 of whom further mention will be made, seem to find a place 
 here, and without which this chapter would be incomplete. 
 
 "The Rays and Russels coopers are, 
 The knowing Folgers lazy, 
 A learned Coleman very rare, 
 And scarce an honest Hussey. 
 
 The Coffins noisy, boisterous, loud, 
 
 The silent Gardners plotting, 
 The Mitchells good, the Barkers proud. 
 
 The Macys eat the pudding. 
 
 The Swains are swinish, clownish called. 
 
 The Barnards very civil, 
 The Starbucks, they are loud to bawl, 
 
 The Pinkhams beat the devil." 
 
 For a few short years the spirit of Utopia pervaded the 
 island. In the beginning the land was held in common, 
 being divided into twenty-seven parts, or shares. Each 
 share was entitled to a certain portion of the land, to be 
 used as the owner saw fit. Each share was subdivided into 
 lesser parts, called "Cows' Commons," which gave the 
 proprietor privilege to turn out as "many cows or other 
 cattle, as he owns, of such parts in Common, or other 
 stock in proportion of one horse or sixteen sheep to two 
 Cows Commons, which stock fed on any part of the land 
 that is not converted into a field. All the cows fed together 
 in one herd, to the amount of about five hundred. All the 
 sheep fed in one pasture, and each man knew his own by 
 marks made in the ears, by cutting them in different forms. 
 Every other year, twenty-five acres of corn were planted to 
 the share, making a total of 675 acres for the twenty-seven 
 
The Rise and Fall of Utopia 23 
 
 shares, all being in one field and producing 8,100 bushels. 
 The alternating year the same field was sown with oats 
 and rye, which produced nearly 9,000 bushels." That these 
 ideal conditions might not have continued is much to be 
 regretted, but even as the serpent entered Eden, so the 
 spirit of envy and jealousy entered this little commune lying 
 so far out at sea. 
 
 The history of society is the same the world over ; even 
 among the most ardent adherents to Socialism the clashing 
 of strong wills, aggressive tendencies on the part of the 
 leaders and the desire of the few to rule the many have 
 been the causes of the breaking up of the most ideal com- 
 munities. The same conditions prevailing in other parts of 
 New England resulted in the separation of the tradesmen 
 and cavaliers at an early date in American history. Had 
 not the country been so wide, the war which occurred 
 between the North and South might have been precipitated 
 a full century before it finally did rend the nation to its 
 center. The tradesman naturally had an eye to the com- 
 mercial benefits to be derived from the easy access to 
 brooks and ponds, while the more aristocratic cavalier 
 sought the easier life of the landed proprietor. As there 
 was little or no profit attached to the slave traffic, which 
 made its appearance in American markets, owing to the 
 rigors of New England climate and the dearth of occupa- 
 tion in consequence of its sterile soil, it was but natural 
 that this particular form of commercialism should be 
 allowed to pass into the hands of the more aristocratic 
 cavalier, who had migrated to the southland and there 
 enjoyed life to the full, surrounded by his vassals, riding to 
 the hounds, neither toiling or spinning. Had not the world 
 been wide, it is easy to surmise what the result would have 
 been had these two classes been forced to occupy a small 
 space. The tradesman would never have consented to the 
 rule of the more aristocratic cavalier, while at the same time 
 
24 The Glacier's Gift 
 
 the latter could never have admitted the control of his more 
 democratic contemporary. It is not difificult, then, to under- 
 stand why such men as Tristram Coffin and John Gardner 
 should become opponents, one striving to supersede the 
 other in authority in the island community. Both were men 
 of great executive ability, yet they were of entirely different 
 temperaments, and this was perhaps the primary cause for 
 what is known as the "Nantucket Insurrection." Tristram 
 Coffin, having been one of the first settlers and being a 
 "born" leader, naturally took the initiative in matters of 
 authority ; and while the people submitted to this, still 
 Coffin was not exceedingly popular, owing to his desire to 
 rule and his overbearing manner to those whom he con- 
 sidered his inferiors in breeding and birth. He was an 
 aristocrat in the strongest sense of the word, having 
 descended from a family whose connection with the nobility 
 of the Old World is well known by those interested in the 
 genealogy of the Coffin family. After having held a most 
 prominent place in the island affairs for at least ten years, 
 it was not easy for Tristram Coffin to allow the reins of 
 government to pass from him into the hands of a later set- 
 tler, and one whom a Coffin would consider a social inferior, 
 to say the least. While it cannot be said that John Gardner, 
 who now threatened to supersede the Coffin supremacy, w^as 
 an educated man, yet he was very popular with the people as 
 a whole, although because of the intermarriages between 
 Tristram's children and other island families, it is clear to 
 the most casual observer that there must of necessity have 
 been two factions in this highly interesting contest. In the 
 life of Peter Folger the reader was made acquainted with 
 all points of importance concerning the former settling 
 in Nantucket and his influence with the Indians. Both he 
 and John Gardner were very popular men, and it appears 
 that they agreed on the main points of government, etc.. 
 which would tend to the good of the people. It must have 
 
The Rise and Fall of Utopia 25 
 
 been trying to Cofifin to realize the growing popularity of 
 his opponent, and one can well imagine his chagrin when 
 the "town granted Captain Gardner twenty acres," extend- 
 ing from his house to the cliff, and widened the road from 
 his warehouse to the landing. In accordance with the laws 
 of the island at that time, the people were to elect two 
 men, one of whom should, with the sanction of the gover- 
 nor of New York, become chief magistrate. In the spring 
 election of 1673 Richard Gardner and Edward Starbuck 
 were elected, the former being selected by the governor to 
 fill the office of magistrate, while at the same time John 
 Gardner was named as chief military officer. Upon petition 
 to the governor the Gardners were granted licenses to 
 engage in fishing as a business, and authorized to secure 
 such land along the shore as they might need from the 
 Indians. From this date, 1674, on for a number of years, 
 the conflict raged. To all the votes of the town that 
 favored the Gardners or their adherents the Coffins entered 
 their "decent." For instance : when, in the spring elec- 
 tion of 1674, Peter Folger and John Gardner were selected 
 to go to New York to consult the governor in regard to 
 the town business, Tristram and his followers immediately 
 "entered their decent." Again, when, in the fall of 1674, 
 John Gardner was elected by the people for the purpose of 
 going to New York to confer with the governor on impor- 
 tant matters concerning "what may infring the Liberties of 
 the Chartar" the Coffin faction again vigorously "decented," 
 seeming to be in fear lest Gardner should gain advantage 
 by coming into such close relation with the governing pow- 
 ers. Another question that caused much discussion and 
 resulted in serious dissention was the one relating to land 
 ownership. The Gardner faction held that in the matter 
 of voting all men should have equal voice, regardless of the 
 amount of land they might possess ; but the Coffin adherents 
 claimed that the ones who owned whole shares should be 
 
2 6 The Glacier's Gift 
 
 entitled to two votes, while one-half share men should be 
 entitled to but one, and though two of Tristram's sons had 
 never lived on the island, yet he claimed the right to vote 
 on their shares. Now that the spirit of antagonism was 
 abroad in the land, complaints w-ere registered on all occa- 
 sions, but owing to the larger number of people belonging 
 to the Gardner side of the controversy, it left the governing 
 power in the hands of the latter. One complaint that Coffin 
 sent in to the governor stated that the affairs were disposed 
 of "by tradesmen and seamen, who with some of the 
 purchasers, being the major part of said Island, in persons, 
 though not in property, have elected unto authority some 
 of themselves, whereby they have presumed to dispose of 
 our purchase, dividing it among one another, neither can 
 we have any redress, they affirming that every card they 
 play is an ace, and every ace a trump, and that we have no 
 remedy in law." (Worth.) 
 
 Up to 1675 the Gardner party seems to have held the 
 reins of government quite firmly in their hands, but as the 
 two parties were of so nearly the same size, it took but one 
 little change to throw the weight on the opposite side of 
 the scale. Two of the Gardner party suddenly went over to 
 the Coffin contingent — then there were lively times indeed. 
 The latter's followers now came into power and ousted their 
 opponents without delay, and gave them to understand, in 
 no weak manner, that they were not expected to have any 
 say whatsoever in the affairs of the state. Not satisfied with 
 this, Coffin gratified his desire for revenge by having Peter 
 Folger arrested and put in jail, without even allowing him 
 to see the warrant on which his arrest was based. For a 
 year and a half his incarceration continued, in a place "where 
 never any Englishman was put, and where the neighbors 
 hoge had layed but the night before, and in a bitter cold frost 
 and deep snow ; they had only thrown out most of the 
 dirt, hoge dung and snow, the rest the Constable told me, 
 
The Rise and Fall of Utopia 27 
 
 I might lie upon, if I would; that is, upon the boards in 
 that case, and without victuals or fire. Indeed I persuaded 
 him to fetch a little hay and he did so, and some friend did 
 presently bring in some bedding and victuals." Taking into 
 consideration that Folger was a man past sixty years of age 
 at that time, it might seem that the punishment was far in 
 excess of the crime, as the charge on which he was jailed 
 was contempt of court. Worth, in "Nantucket Lands and 
 Land Owners," says : "Whatever else may be said of the 
 rule of John Gardner and his associates, it is a fact that 
 they never imprisoned or disfranchised their enemies." 
 The same cannot be said of the Coffin faction. Not being 
 satisfied with persecuting Gardner and Folger, they entered 
 suits against the friends and relatives of these their chief 
 opponents — even the wives were not exempt. One example 
 was Richard Gardner's wife, who openly criticized Coffin 
 for causing the imprisonment of Peter Folger. She was 
 convicted and the sentence passed upon her was that "she 
 should be reproved and admonished to have care for the 
 future, of evil words, tending to defaming his Majesty's 
 Court." For two years the Coffin adherents held matters 
 with a high hand, when suddenly they were made to realize 
 that they had overstepped the limit of human endurance. 
 On the petition of John Gardner and Peter Folger, Governor 
 Andros ordered that the fines and disfranchisement pro- 
 ceedings were "null and void." Now the Gardners were 
 in the ascendency, and so the war was waged until the year 
 1680, when Gardner specially befriended Coffin in a matter 
 which might have proven serious for the latter had not 
 the clemency of the governor been sought by Gardner, who 
 was agent of Governor Andros. A French ship laden with 
 hides was wrecked off Nantucket in 1678. At that time 
 Tristram Coffin was chief magistrate and his agent took 
 "charge of the wreck and sold the property." The gover- 
 nor receiving no report of the case, sent his commissioners 
 
28 The Glacier's Gift 
 
 to make inquiries, and they ordered Coffin to pay the state 
 a certain amount, after having allowed him a certain com- 
 mission for his work. Here Coffin entered his last dissent. 
 Through Gardner's influence the governor's claim was 
 greatly 'reduced and thus peace was restored between the 
 belligerents. The feud seems to have terminated in a pretty 
 romance, the culmination of which was the marriage of 
 Jethro Coffin, the grandson of Tristram, and Mary, the 
 daughter of John Gardner. Tristram Coffin passed away in 
 1681, and within a few short years the other principals in 
 this famous contest followed him. 
 
 As a closing tribute to these sturdy settlers the words of 
 George Lunt, in "Three Eras of New England," seem 
 especially fitting : 
 
 "For my own part, I care little for the imperfections of such men. 
 It is superfluous to defend the founders of New England. A vain 
 and thankless task is his, who attempts to underestimate their 
 virtues, or to detract from the majestic proportions of the gray 
 fathers of the people. Their personal faults passed with them to 
 the grave, their just principles and noble actions survived, and 
 blossomed into a living harvest of sacred and immortal memory." 
 
CHAPTER IV 
 
 The Age of the "Inner Light" 
 
 OMEONE has tritely said "Beware of the 
 man with one idea," Ridpath's assertion that 
 ''Nothing is so dangerous to a stupid con- 
 servatism as an idea" to the contrary not- 
 withstanding. It has ever been the man who 
 has had faith in the "one far-off divine event" 
 and the courage of his convictions; he is the 
 power that has been feh throughout the world. 
 One has but to turn to the pages of history on which are 
 written the names of those few earnest men who brought 
 about the great era known as the Reformation. From the 
 beginning of human speculation, no subject has been the 
 cause of such a diversity of opinions as that of religion. 
 In the doctrines of the Philosoph-theologians of the Middle 
 Ages are to be found great gaps, diversities and incon- 
 sistencies of logic, but Christian faith, more or less properly 
 understood and interpreted, was always to be found at 
 the bottom of their disputes. After all, it is not the philo- 
 sophical side of religion that appeals to the masses, but 
 rather the emotional attributes it may be said to possess; 
 for the unsatisfied soul of man is ever seeking a panacea 
 for spiritual ills, and so long as these speculative tendencies 
 exist in the human mind, so long will new creeds and 
 doctrines present themselves. Each age has produced a 
 man of power along these lines. The fifteenth century 
 brought forth Erasmus, the scholar, whose idea of reform 
 was through education. But he was not in harmony with 
 the age in which he lived, as his doctrine could only appeal 
 to the intellect, while the general tendencies of the times 
 were toward coarseness and brutality. Erasmus was the 
 
30 The Glacier's Gift 
 
 direct antipodes to anything of the sort; and although his 
 efforts at reform were a fiat failure, yet he remained true 
 to his convictions, despite the fact that he was subject to 
 scorn and abuse. Directly following Erasmus came Luther 
 and Melancthon, the result of whose aggressiveness is 
 known to all the religious world. The sixteenth century 
 brought out the teachings of Calvin, who was by nature 
 a gloomy, dolorous character. His theology partook of 
 his pessimistic qualities and, strange as it may appear, 
 the doctrine took a firm hold on the people. Indeed, it 
 was a brave man who dared contradict or refuse to accept 
 this doctrine of predestination. It has been said that "no 
 such religious rigors had ever been witnessed in the world 
 as those which prevailed where the Calvinistic doctrines 
 flourished." Although brought about by burnings at the 
 stake and the inflictions of cruelties on those who dared 
 refuse these different ideas, the Reformation did much 
 toward liberating man from ecclesiastical bondage; but 
 to quote Ridpath, "The New Church in Germany was a great 
 improvement on Romanism ; but in England it would have 
 required a microscope to discover even the premonitory 
 symptoms of a true reform." Paradoxical as it may seem, 
 the religion of Jesus Christ, the foundation of which is 
 peace and love, has ever been the cause of dissension and 
 strife, even to the point of bloodshed and inhuman cruelty. 
 Each new sect has been so certain of having discovered 
 the keynote to right living that it has sought to enforce its 
 precepts, even at the point of the sword, if necessary. The 
 Church of England, through its arrant bigotry, caused the 
 Puritans to leave all that was dear to them by birth and 
 tradition, preferring the uncertain fate awaiting them on 
 the uncharted seas and the unexplored country beyond, 
 to the unceasing vigilance and unreasonable demands of 
 the Anglican Church; as soon, however, as the Pilgrims 
 and Puritans became any sort of power in the New World, 
 
The Age of the "Inner Light" 31 
 
 they proceeded to lay down the law to all comers. Chief 
 among the later arrivals to fall under a ban were the 
 Quakers, or Friends. This sect was founded by George 
 Fox, the son of a Leicestershire weaver, who was said to 
 have descended from ''the stock of martyrs." He, in early 
 life, "fell under conviction" and studied much on the nature 
 and destiny of man. He sought solitude and there he was 
 given the light for which he sought. He was convinced 
 that in each man exists the great 'Tnner Light," which 
 is in reality the Divine Spirit with which mankind is 
 endowed. Right at this time was discovered the later doc- 
 trine of New Thought, the going into "the Silence" to 
 attain spiritual power and to develop the Christ spirit, 
 which is the divine inheritance of mankind. Fox was 
 fiercely opposed by the Church of England and the Calvin- 
 ists and was punished severely, being set in stocks and 
 cruelly beaten, besides being put in prison. His doctrine 
 spread, nevertheless, and he gained many adherents, among 
 the peasant class more especially, as his doctrine did not 
 recognize social distinctions, all men being free and equal, 
 each one being allowed to preach if the spirit so moved 
 him. The dress was simple and plain and well within the 
 means of the poorest. Women were given the right to 
 speak in public and altogether this seemed to be an ideal 
 sect with which to affiliate. Imagine the dismay of the 
 Puritans on hearing of the arrival of Fox into this land of 
 religious liberty ( ?), to which he came seeking a refuge for 
 his followers. New England was strictly opposed to him 
 and his doctrines, while in the Southern colonies the English 
 Church was of sufficient strength to successfully frustrate 
 his plans. As a slight digression, it is interesting to note 
 the following rigid laws of Puritan New England at this 
 time : "No food or lodging could be given a Quaker, Adam- 
 ite or other heretic. No one was allowed to run on the 
 Sabbath-day or walk in his garden or elsewhere, except 
 
32 The Glacier's Gift 
 
 reverently to and from meeting. No one could sweep, cook, 
 travel, cut hair or shave on the Sabbath-day. No woman 
 should kiss her husband or children either on Fast-day or 
 Sunday. No one could read Common Prayer, keep Christ- 
 mas or Saint's days, make mince pies, dance, play cards or 
 play on any instrument of music, except the drum, trumpet 
 or jews-harp. The magistrates only should join in marriage 
 as they might do it with less scandal to Christ's Church." 
 
 Regardless of the reception tendered George Fox, others 
 of his sect began to arrive in America. In 1656 Ann Austin 
 and Mary Fisher came to Boston. Great was the conster- 
 nation caused by their appearance. The most malignant 
 scourge would have received less notice. The women were 
 searched for signs of witchcraft, their trunks ruthlessly 
 broken, while the books found in their possession were 
 burned and the offenders themselves ignominiously sent 
 to prison, where they were confined several weeks, when 
 they were liberated and driven from the colony. Disre- 
 garding the treatment accorded these venturesome evan- 
 gelists, others followed, only to be whipped and banished, 
 and threatened with death should they return. In fact, 
 the death penalty was visited upon some of "the fanatical 
 disturbers of the peace." In 1659 four persons, one of 
 whom was a woman, were tried, condemned and hanged, 
 the judges having no compassion even on the latter. 
 
 The first record given of the Quakers visiting Nantucket 
 is that of Thomas Chalkley, who came to the island from 
 England in 1698, and was followed in 1704 by Thomas 
 Story, who also was an English Quaker. Both of these 
 men held "meetings" and received favorable attention 
 from the people in general, although in the early history 
 of the island one can read where some of the men high 
 in authority were much opposed to allowing the Quakers 
 to settle there. There is no record, however, of the opposi- 
 tion reaching the point of punishment in any way. Through 
 
The Age of the "Inner Light" 33 
 
 the preaching of Story, Nathaniel Starbuck and his wife, 
 Mary, became converts to the church in 1704 and they in 
 turn became ministers. Very fortunate, indeed, it was for 
 the new sect to have won the favor of Mary Starbuck. 
 She was a woman of so much influence in pubHc affairs 
 that much of the success of the early church was due to 
 her untiring energy and zeal. The first monthly "meeting" 
 was established in 1708 and to this "meeting" came earnest 
 ministers and visitors from the larger cities on the main- 
 land. In 1730 a meetinghouse was erected at the corner 
 of Main and Saratoga streets. So rapidly did the "meet- 
 ing" increase in numbers that by 1792 a second meeting- 
 house was erected and the congregation divided between 
 the two houses. In 1794 more than one-half the total 
 population of the island were members of the Friends' 
 church. But now the tide had reached its height and secure 
 in their belief that theirs was the only true religion, they 
 became rigid in their discipline and despotic in their rulings. 
 It seemed to them as though they were the favored and 
 only ones who were possessed of the wonderful "Inner 
 Light," those not conforming to the rules of this particular 
 sect being forever denied the possibility of attainment. 
 One is here reminded of the story of the man who, having 
 attended evangelistic services and becoming convicted of 
 his sins, knelt down under a bridge where he was at work 
 and prayed for forgiveness and light. His prayer being 
 answered, he never could be convinced that anyone could 
 receive pardon in any other place or under any dift"erent 
 circumstances. So it was with the Friends — if anyone 
 allowed himself to even think along different lines, he must 
 of necessity be a heretic. Some of them lived lives of 
 visionaries, and one instance in particular is worthy of 
 note : One Joseph Hoag, although not a native of Nan- 
 tucket, was known as a traveling Friend. He was singu- 
 larly spiritual and possessed of a sweetly persuasive manner. 
 
 3 
 
34 The Glacier's Gift 
 
 He made many converts to the Friends' religion in all parts 
 of the country. He was born in New York State in 1762, 
 moving to Vermont later. He was very much attached to 
 the Nantucket people, with whom he spent much of his 
 time. His vision, of which he wrote in his latter years, is 
 interesting and surprising. At the time it was considered 
 simply the effect of abnormal conditions of the brain, but 
 in later times, owing to the fulfillment of a number of the 
 prophecies, it has been looked on as partaking of the super- 
 natural. 
 
 "In the year 1803, probably in the eighth month, I was one day 
 in the field and observed the sun shone clear, but a mist suddenly 
 eclipsed the brightness of its shining. As I reflected on the singu- 
 larity of the event my mind was clothed with silence the most solemn 
 that I remember to have ever witnessed, for all my faculties were 
 laid low and unusually brought into silence. I said to myself, 'What 
 can all this mean?' I don't remember ever to have been sensible 
 of such feelings, and I heard a voice from Heaven saying: 'This 
 that thou seest, that dims the brightness of the sun, is a sign of 
 the present and future times. I took the fathers of this country 
 from a land of oppression, I planted them here among the forests, 
 I blessed and sustained them, and while they were humble I fed 
 them, and they became a numerous people. But they have become 
 proud and lifted up and forgot me who nourished and protected 
 them in the wilderness and are running into every abomination and 
 evil practice of which the old country was guilty, and have taken 
 quietude from the land and suffered a dividing spirit to come 
 among them. Lift up thine eyes and behold.' I saw them dividing 
 in great heat. This division in the churches was a point of doctrine. 
 It commenced in the Presbyterian Society and went through the 
 various religious denominations and in its progress and close its 
 effects were nearly the same ; those who dissented went off with 
 high heads and taunting language, and those who kept their original 
 sentiments appeared exercised and sorrowful. And when the 
 dividing spirit entered the society of Friends it raged in as high a 
 degree as any I had before discovered; and as before, those who 
 separated went with lofty looks and taunting, censuring language ; 
 those who kept to their ancient principles retired by themselves. 
 It then appeared in the lodges of the Free-masons and set the 
 country in an uproar for a length of time. Then it entered politics 
 
The Age of the "Inner Light" 35 
 
 throughout the United States and it did not stop until it produced a 
 civil war, and an abundance of blood was shed in the course of the 
 contest. The Southern states lost their power and slavery was 
 annihilated from their borders. Then a monarchical government 
 arose and established a national religion and made all societies 
 tributary to its support. I saw them take property from the Friends 
 to a large amount. I was amazed at all this and I heard a voice 
 proclaim 'This power shall not always stand, but with this power 
 will I chastise my churches until they return to the faithfulness of 
 their forefathers. Thou seest what is coming upon the land for 
 their iniquities and for the blood of Africa, the remembrance of 
 which has come up before me. This vision is yet for many days.' 
 
 I had no intention of writing it for many years, until it became 
 such a burden to me that, for my own relief, I have so written. 
 
 Joseph Hoag." 
 
 Someone has said that "there must be a soul before there 
 can be a body; and on the other hand, a soul without. a 
 body is not adapted to life in this world." So with the 
 Quakers, their creed of the "Inner Light" is most satisfy- 
 ing to the spiritual side ; but this world is far from perfect 
 yet, and while it may sound well to preach the doctrine 
 of allowing both cheeks to be smitten, still it is not altogether 
 within the control of man to allow this state of affairs. It 
 is more natural for even the Quaker to say, "Friend, thee 
 is standing just where I am going to shoot." 
 
 In Nantucket, after 1800, the Friends began their decline. 
 One cause was the number of emigrations which took place 
 early in the nineteenth century. The War of 1812 caused 
 the Nantucket Quakers to lose much of their property and 
 while the tenets of the church held for social equality and 
 a desire for little of this world's goods, yet there were some 
 very wealthy people in that church. 
 
 About this time the Methodists formed a society on the 
 island and through their zeal and inspiring services attracted 
 many of the younger members of the Friends' organization. 
 Then, too, the extreme rigidity of discipline did much to 
 hasten the end. They were not discriminating in their 
 
36 The Glacier's Gift 
 
 judgments, disowning their members outright, regardless 
 of the gravity or simplicity of the offense. For instance : 
 One person "went to sea in an armed vessel"; another 
 "was disowned for deviating from our principles of dress 
 and address, persisting in wearing buckles and refusing 
 to say 'thee' and 'thou.' " Still another "kept company 
 with a man not in membership with us and attended a 
 place where there was music and dancing." One was dis- 
 owned for having attended a marriage performed by a 
 minister. One other had "married a woman not a mem- 
 ber." 
 
 Another cause for the decline of the Quaker church was 
 the division that now came in that body. What is known 
 as the Hicksite movement made itself known about 1830. 
 Elias Hicks, having been long in the ministry, was charged 
 with heresy. He was a farmer on Long Island, but was a 
 powerful orator. He denied the charges presented against 
 him, but his followers established a separate church and, 
 owing to a less rigid discipline, it soon gained in numbers, 
 thus depleting the already failing • numbers of the more 
 orthodox "meeting." After this quickly followed other 
 divisions and subdivisions, among them the Gurney division 
 and later the Wilberite division, a more lengthy discussion 
 of which may be found in the pamphlet entitled "Quaker- 
 ism on Nantucket since 1800," by H. B. Worth. It is a 
 curious fact that in a place where at one time there were 
 several thousand members, there is not one remaining at 
 the present time. Eunice Paddock, who died in 1900, was 
 the last member of the Quaker society in Nantucket. 
 
 This simple religious sect carried out their idea of sim- 
 plicity and distaste for form and ceremony even to the 
 grave. In a field destitute of any sign of its precious 
 freight lie the bodies of ten thousand Quakers. A broken 
 fence surrounds a windswept sandy piece of moorland. 
 Here no monument arises in majestic dignity, rehearsing 
 the goodly qualities of the dust beneath, no flowers planted 
 
The Age of the "Inner Light" 37 
 
 by loving- hands ornament the graves of this once influential 
 people. Only the wild grass and weeds, among which trail 
 the thorny vines of wild blackberries, which cling to the 
 passerby as if to bid him speculate upon the end of all. 
 A great deal of adverse criticism has been passed on the 
 relatives and friends of the ones who lie buried here, 
 because they have not had the grounds beautified and monu- 
 ments erected, and while all will agree that much can be 
 done to make the grounds attractive, still it seems only in 
 keeping with the tenets of the faith of this people that 
 everything be kept as simple as possible, realizing that 
 "There are memories greater than these, embalmed in His- 
 tory; their graves unknown; while sooner or later, time's 
 ruthless hand doth seize the perishable stone." 
 
 None believed more firmly in the transient honor bestowed 
 upon mortals by their own kind than these people who 
 lived so near to the heart of things. ' They truly felt, no 
 doubt, "That builded tombs and all the strong desire to 
 be remembered after death is vain," and that "A transient 
 name on the stone, a transient love in the heart, we have 
 our day and are gone." 
 
 In one corner of this cemetery one can see a few plain 
 white markers which adorn the graves of the Hicksite 
 members, who were more given to the frivolities and 
 fashions of the world's people. 
 
 Compare the strict simplicity and dignity of the cemetery, 
 minus monument and epitaph, with the more ornate decora- 
 tions in other burial places and the almost ludicrous inscrip- 
 tions, which would call forth a smile, were it not for the 
 apparent sincerity exhibited by the bereaved ones. The 
 following are taken from the old South Cemetery, one of 
 the oldest in Nantucket : 
 
 '"Stop, kind reader, and shed a tear, 
 
 O'er the dust that slumbers here ; 
 And when you read the fate of me. 
 
 Think on the glass that runs for three." 
 
38 The Glacier's Gift 
 
 "Stop, my friends, as jou pass by; 
 
 As you am now so once was I ; 
 As I am now, so must you be ; 
 
 Prepare for death and follow me. 
 Follow me and be you wise, 
 
 And up to Heaven you will arise." 
 
 "However dear she was not laid here ; 
 Some private grief was her disease; 
 Laid to the north her friends to please." 
 
 "Mother, thee is not forgotten." 
 
 In bringing this chapter to a close, in justice to the 
 Quakers be it said that the reason for their swift decHne 
 was that they were a people who lived several generations 
 too far removed from the millennium. In the dim and 
 distant future, when the ultimate perfection of man shall 
 have been attained, then, and not till then, will it be possible 
 to live guided alone by the "Inner Light." Till then each 
 must live up to his highest convictions, keeping in mind that, 
 
 "New occasions teach new duties, 
 
 Time makes ancient good uncouth; 
 They must upward still and onward 
 
 Who would keep abreast of truth; 
 Truth forever on the scaffold, 
 
 Wrong forever on the throne ; 
 Yet that scaffold sways the future 
 
 And behind the dim unknown, 
 Standeth God within the shadow, 
 
 Keeping watch above his own." ^ 
 
 ( 
 
CHAPTER V 
 
 "The Hand that Rules the World" 
 
 N nearly all the crises of the world's history 
 woman has in reality been the "power behind 
 the throne." The pages of ancient, medieval 
 and modern history glow with the achieve- 
 ments of valorous men, but little space is given 
 to the influence exerted by the mothers, wives 
 and sisters of these same characters, made 
 famous, alike, in story and song. To be sure, 
 the pulses are quickened by reading of the sacrifices of 
 Antigone, one of the most pathetic of early Greek tradition ; 
 fascinating in the extreme is the history of the ambitious 
 and voluptuous Cleopatra, of whom it has been said, 'Tf 
 the nose of Cleopatra had been shorter, the whole face of 
 the earth would have been changed." Familiar enough to 
 the modern student are the names of Aspasia, from whom 
 Pericles got most of his ideas ; Cornelia, mother of the 
 Gracchi, to whom, rather than the Gracchi themselves, the 
 Roman reforms were due. The rape of Lucrece, followed 
 by her noble confession and pathetic expiation, resulted 
 in the expulsion of Tarquin and marked the beginning of 
 a brilliant era in Roman history. Alfred the Great attrib- 
 uted his love of learning and goodness of character to his 
 mother's influence. In later history are to be found the 
 names of Isabella of Spain, to whom the discovery of 
 America is really due ; Elizabeth, the Virgin Queen, and 
 Catherine de'Medici. In that terrible revolution, when the 
 streets of Paris flowed with blood, none played a more 
 important part in that human tragedy than Charlotte Cor- 
 day and Madame Roland. In our own country's crises 
 women have occupied no minor position. In the American 
 
40 The Glacier s Gift 
 
 Revolution women took a very prominent part, ofttimes with 
 breaking hearts, laying their sacrifices on their country's 
 altar, that not only the people of that particular generation, 
 but that all who should follow after, for all time to come, 
 might have the privilege of religious and civil liberty. 
 Again, when the Union stood in danger of disintegration, 
 who was it that felt the hardest shock of the war? Was 
 it the men who went away, in many instances, with smiling 
 faces, looking on the war as a wild frolic of a few weeks' 
 duration? Not by any means. It was the wives and 
 mothers, who had the families to care for, left alone to 
 bear the responsibilities of rearing the boys left in their 
 charge, while often such poverty threatened that the mother 
 was forced to be bread-winner as well as home-keeper. 
 Still, through all those days of storm and stress, bravely and 
 without a murmur, woman stood with her shoulder to the 
 wheel, regardless of reward other than the realization that 
 it was done for God, and home, and native land. It is 
 not given to every woman, the rearing of warriors. All 
 women cannot be Damainetas crying aloud to Sparta, "I 
 bore these children for thy sake," but no grander truism 
 was ever uttered than this : "The hand that rocks the 
 cradle is the hand that rules the world." In no place is 
 woman's influence felt more vividly than in the home. It 
 is not an influence that ceases at the doorway, but one that 
 follows the boy after he has left the home nest and gone 
 to take his place among men, to conquer, or be conquered, 
 in the battle of life. It is the memory of the prayer, 
 lisped at mother's knee, while her hand rested in bene- 
 diction on his tangled curls ; it is the memory of mother's 
 songs, hummed softly in the twilight ; her words of earnest 
 entreaty, which serve to keep him unspotted from the world ; 
 it is the memory of that last embrace and touch of lips, 
 as mother gently sends him from her, realizing that the 
 family circle, which heretofore has not been broken, will 
 
''The Hand that Rules the World" 41 
 
 never be complete again. It is the memory of these things 
 that helps him keep faith with virtuous womanhood. 
 
 In the production of famous women, Nantucket stands 
 second to none. In the front ranks it is only right that 
 the name of Abiah Folger should be placed. In the year 
 1667, on the fifteenth day of August, there was born to 
 Peter and Mary Folger a daughter, who was destined, in 
 the course of her life, to become the mother of America's 
 foremost philosopher, inventor and diplomat, Benjamin 
 Franklin. It seems as if the divine purpose had decreed 
 that this unique honor should fall to one of the women 
 of this seagirt isle. Although denied the distinction of 
 being the birthplace of the man himself, it remained for 
 the mother to claim the privilege of having here first seen 
 the light of day, far from the strife and confusion of the 
 great world. Like other of Nantucket's women, Abiah 
 suckled and cared for her own children, while at the same 
 time she gathered to her motherly heart the seven mother- 
 less bairns of Josiah Franklin, the man she chose for her 
 life's partner. It is a regrettable fact that very little con- 
 cerning her life is left on record. That she lived to a 
 good old age and had the privilege of seeing her son 
 become famous is about all that is known. Of this we are 
 assured, however, that much of his sturdy character and 
 his eventual success in life Franklin attributed to his 
 mother's influence. A memorial tablet and drinking foun- 
 tain, placed there by the Abiah Folger Chapter of the 
 D. A. R., marks the site of the old homestead, long ago 
 burned down. As one drives by this windswept piece of 
 undulating moorland, the lines from Swinburne's ''For- 
 saken Garden" present themselves to the mind : 
 
 "Over the meadows that blossom and wither. 
 
 Rings but the note of a seabird's song. 
 Only the sun and the rain come hither 
 
 All year long. 
 
42 The Glaciers Gift 
 
 The sun burns sear, and the rain dishevels 
 
 One gaunt bleak blossom of scentless breath. 
 Only the wind here hovers and revels 
 
 In a round where life seems barren as death. 
 Here there was laughing of old, there was weeping, 
 
 Haply, of lovers none ever will know, 
 Whose eyes went seaward a hundred sleeping 
 
 Years ago. 
 ********* 
 
 Here death may deal not again forever; 
 
 Here change may come not till all change end. 
 From the graves they have made they shall rise up never. 
 
 Who have left naught living to ravage and rend. 
 Earth, stones, and thorns of the wild ground growing, 
 
 While the sun and the rain live, these shall be; 
 Till a last wind's breath, upon all these blowing. 
 
 Roll the sea. 
 
 Till the slow sea rise, and the sheer cliff crumble. 
 
 Till terrace and meadow the deep gulfs drink. 
 Till the strength of the waves of the high tides humble 
 
 The fields that lessen, the rocks that shrink. 
 Here now in his triumph where all things falter. 
 
 Stretched out on the spoils that his own hand spread. 
 As a god self-slain on his own strange altar. 
 
 Death lies dead." 
 
 Another name belonging in the galaxy of famous women 
 is that of Mary Starbuck. While not of Nantucket birth, 
 yet so closely was she identified with all concerning this 
 island of her adoption that she can be easily classified as 
 one of its truly great characters. She was born in Haver- 
 hill, Massachusetts, February 2, 1645, ^"^ ^"^'^^ the seventh 
 child of Tristram and Dionis Coffin. She was married, at 
 the early age of seventeen, to Nathaniel, son of Edward and 
 Catherine Starbuck. There were ten children born of this 
 union, the eldest, Mary, having the distinction of being the 
 first white child born on the island of Nantucket. The sub- 
 ject of this sketch was a woman of rare intellect and strong 
 
"The Hand that Rules the World" 43 
 
 character, taking an active part in all affairs of moment. 
 Being an eloquent speaker, her words were listened to with 
 the most profound respect. She was consulted on all mat- 
 ters of public importance and, because of her keen insight, 
 was acknowledged a great power. Her husband, Nathaniel, 
 was a man of no mean ability, but he always gave his wife 
 the preference, thus seeming to acknowledge her to be his 
 superior. So free from conceit was she, however, that in 
 her debates she gave her husband credit of thinking ''so 
 and so." While she expressed herself with great force, her 
 address was elegant and refined. She was said to have been 
 baptized by Peter Folger, and while not ardently religious 
 during her younger days, at the age of fifty-six she became 
 a convert to the Quaker faith and became a noted speaker 
 and exhorter. It was at her house that the first Friends' 
 Meeting was organized, and it met there for four years. 
 In spite of all her activities and enthusiasm for outside 
 affairs, she was noted for her domestic economy and perfect 
 control and discharge of her household duties. She lived 
 her allotted time, dying September 13, 171 7. 
 
 "Her children arise up, and call her blessed ; her husband 
 also, and he praiseth her." 
 
 Another noted descendant of the first Tristram Coffin 
 was Lucretia Alott. She was born in Nantucket the third 
 of January, 1793, and was the daughter of Thomas and 
 Anna (Folger) Coffin, thus being a descendant of Peter 
 Folger on the maternal side. The Motts removed to Phila- 
 delphia when Lucretia was eleven years old, and it was there 
 she was educated. In 181 1 she was married to James 
 Mott, and to this particularly happy union were born six 
 children, five of Avhom lived to maturity, proving them- 
 selves to be a great credit to the influence of their gifted 
 mother. Mrs. Mott was unquestionably the brightest 
 woman of her time, being indeed far in advance of her 
 
44 The Glacier's Gift 
 
 generation. She early discovered the secret of entering 
 into "the Silence," thus gaining spiritual strength and rare 
 inspiration. As a speaker she had no superiors. She was 
 a philanthropist, preacher, abolitionist, woman's suffragist, 
 and in fact took up all questions of importance then extant. 
 When the question of equal rights presented itself, she 
 placed her convictions even above religious tenets and dared, 
 as only great natures do, to disobey the edict of the Quaker 
 sect, to which she belonged, prohibiting the mingling with 
 what were known as the "world's people." In 1827 she 
 became interested in the broader views held forth by the 
 Hicksite branch of the Friends' church, becoming one of 
 its most ardent supporters and earnest ministers. In 1833 
 she assisted in forming the original antislavery society of 
 the United States, w^hich declared the eternal rights of 
 all men. In June, 1840, Mrs. Mott went as a delegate 
 to the World's Antislavery Convention, held in London, 
 and it was the treatment she received at this time that 
 impelled her to become a woman suffragist. While she 
 was sent as a representative, yet she could not sit in the 
 same council chamber with the male contingent, and was in 
 other ways made to feel that, simply because she was a 
 woman, she could not cross the impassible gulf which was 
 fixed between the sexes. In 1848 she went to Seneca Falls, 
 New York, as a delegate to the first suffragist convention 
 in America, and it was here that it became manifest that 
 this woman, whose eloquence held her vast audiences 
 spellbound, was of a superior mould. Her preaching con- 
 cerning slavery was ever put into practice, making her 
 attitude consistent and giving potency to her doctrine of 
 equal rights to all men. She took this attitude at a time 
 when to be known as an abolitionist was to court personal 
 injury, if not death; but it has been said of her that her 
 tact and perfectly fearless bearing had much to do with 
 her success as a speaker and often saved her from violence. 
 
"The Hand that Rules the World" 45 
 
 She was as sweetly serene in the midst of a howHng mob, 
 the target for stale eggs and brickbats, as when in her own 
 home, attending simple household duties. Her name was 
 revered by the colored people, for whom she labored with 
 such untiring zeal, and many children of lowly negro 
 parents were given the name of their friend and benefac- 
 tress, Lucretia Mott ; and it may be stated here that not 
 only the children of this outcast and downtrodden race 
 were the recipients of this honored name, but families of 
 high degree displayed their affection for this noble woman 
 by bestowing her name upon their firstborn, one example 
 being that of Lord and Lady Amberly, who christened 
 their daughter Lucretia Mott Amberly. Mrs. Mott proved 
 very conclusively that although a woman may be the mother 
 of a large family, she yet may have time for self-culture 
 and usefulness to the world at large. With a family of 
 six children, and without the assistance of nurse or maid, 
 Mrs. Mott never allowed anything to interfere with her 
 reading. She found time to do this by omitting many 
 unnecessary stitches and garniture in the family sewing. 
 She often said that the ladies' department of periodicals 
 of the day had no charm for her, yet she was always well 
 dressed and neat, beyond criticism. Her most marked 
 characteristic was her entire freedom from personal little- 
 ness. She was the embodiment of human perfection. 
 Upon entering the room where she might be sitting, one 
 could not but feel that he was coming close to the Presence, 
 Her keenest sorrow came to her after fifty-seven years 
 of married life, when her husband, to whom she was 
 devoted, passed away from earth. Theirs had been a singu- 
 larly happy union, owing to a marked congeniality of tastes. 
 After twelve years of waiting, Mrs. Mott laid down her 
 work and stepped over the line, painlessly and peacefully, 
 surrounded by her devoted children, November 11, 1880. 
 The public journals vied with each other in singing her 
 
46 The Glacier's Gift 
 
 praises and heaping a tribute of honor on the name of this 
 truly great American woman. "Give her of the fruit of 
 her hands ; and let her own works praise her in the gates." 
 
 One of the most ardent antislavery apostles was Anna 
 Gardner, who was born at Nantucket, January 25, 1816. 
 Her parents were Oliver and Hannah (Macy) Gardner. iVt 
 a very early age she became interested in the antislavery 
 movement, and it was through her influence that a conven- 
 tion was called in Nantucket, at which Frederick Douglass 
 made his debut as a public speaker. At one time there 
 was much feeling among the people of the island on the 
 question of the negroes being allowed to attend the same 
 school as the white children. After much agitation it was 
 decided that, for the good of all concerned, it would be 
 best to remove the offending obstacle. On hearing the 
 decision, Anna Gardner immediately opened a school for 
 the colored children and taught them until after the Civil 
 War, when she became a teacher among the freedmen of 
 North and South Carolina and Virginia. She was a most 
 enthusiastic supporter of woman's suffrage, and in fact 
 interested herself in all reforms. She was a sincere 
 admirer of Frederick Douglass, assisting at a reception 
 tendered him and his wife on one of their visits to the 
 island. Miss Gardner was a writer of marked ability, 
 her writings of both poetry and prose being widely read. 
 A volume of her poems was published in 1881. Her name 
 is mentioned with great reverence by all those in Nantucket 
 who still remember her. Death came to her at her home, 
 February 18, 1901. 
 
 "She stretcheth out her hand to the poor; yea, she reach- 
 eth forth her hands to the needy." 
 
 As a woman famous in business enterprise and possessed 
 of more than ordinary ability, the name of Miriam Coffin 
 
"The Hand that Rules the World" 47 
 
 must ever find a place in the history of Nantucket. Miriam, 
 or Keziah, was the daughter of Daniel and Abigail Folger, 
 and was born October 9, 1723. She married John Coffin, 
 and was the owner of a fine house in town, as well as a 
 country place in Ouaise, where it is said smuggling was 
 carried on extensively, Miriam being arrested and tried at 
 Watertown on that charge. It has also been said of her that 
 she owned so many ships in the merchants' service th.at she 
 was known in every sea. She was accused, on very good 
 authority, of giving aid to the British during the Revolu- 
 tionary War. Her death was caused by falling downstairs, 
 which accident occurred March 29, 1790. Colonel Hart 
 immortalized her by making her the heroine of his novel 
 (which, by the way, is credited with being the only real 
 Nantucket novel ever written), "Miriam Coffin, or The 
 Whale Fishermen." 
 
 "She perceiveth that her merchandise is good : her candle 
 goeth not out by night." 
 
 As a preface to the life of another of Nantucket's famous 
 women, it is but right and just that the mother, whose 
 influence had much to do in the forming of that character 
 which must ever stand at the top of the list of the truly 
 great, should be given honorable mention, at least. The 
 name of Lydia Coleman Mitchell should ever be linked 
 with that of her famous daughter, Maria Mitchell. In the 
 year 18 13 Lydia Coleman was united in marriage with 
 William Mitchell, and began her married life on a small 
 farm, which her husband tended in summer, while the 
 winters he devoted to teaching school, it is said at a salary 
 of two dollars a week. It can only be surmised that the 
 young couple must have often been in want of the neces- 
 saries of life, although, soon after the first child was born, 
 there seems to have been a revival in business aflfairs 
 which so changed the aspect of their lives that greater 
 
48 The Glacier's Gift 
 
 prosperity came and they were able to live in comfort. Of 
 this union there were ten children, and one need not stretch 
 his imagination to realize what that meant, in those days 
 of storm and stress. It is said that Mrs. Mitchell was 
 possessed of great strength of character, and while she was 
 of an affectionate temperament, yet she held herself in 
 such perfect poise that she was wholly undemonstrative. 
 With rare intuition she understood her children's capa- 
 bilities, and firmly, though gently guided them into channels 
 where each could make the most of the talents with which 
 he or she was endowed. From this environment came a 
 sturdy, self-reliant family, and while Maria Mitchell must 
 always shine as the bright particular star, yet the other 
 members have been only slightly lesser lights in the firma- 
 ment of intellectual achievement. The subject of this 
 sketch, Maria Mitchell, was the third child in the family 
 of ten, being born August i, 181 8. She descended on the 
 mother's side from Peter Folger, of early Nantucket fame. 
 Though the Mitchell family was poor, as one counts worldly 
 possessions, yet the home was one of a high order of cul- 
 ture; and though, owing to the fact that the parents were 
 Quakers, the children were prohibited from many worldly 
 amusements which they might have enjoyed, yet the home 
 life was ideal. All were readers, and such excellent care 
 was taken of the schoolbooks that one copy was said to 
 have descended from one member of the family to another 
 till seven names were recorded on the flyleaf. In early 
 life, Maria did not give great promise as a scholar, being 
 of a timid, retiring nature; but once under her father's 
 tuition, she made rapid progress, especially along mathe- 
 matical and scientific lines. Just across the street from 
 the Mitchell homestead on Vestal Street stands a small 
 building which still bears close resemblance to a school- 
 house. It was here that William Mitchell, having given up 
 farming, taught school, six hours a day, five days a week. 
 
"The Hand that Rules the World" 49 
 
 eleven months a year, and yet there were no complaints of 
 nervous strain or breakdown among the pupils. It was in 
 this school that young Maria's mind found its natural bent, 
 and expanded rapidly under her father's careful direction. 
 Becoming her father's assistant in making astronomical 
 observations, she, at the early age of twelve years, began 
 showing a decided taste for that science, and so rapidly did 
 she develop in the study of mathematics that she soon 
 became aware that there was no school in the United States 
 that could teach her the higher branches of that study. In 
 the old Vestal Street home is a room which is called Maria's 
 study. It is no larger than a clothes closet and furnished 
 with a rude desk, about the size of a moulding-board. In 
 this quiet retreat her rare genius developed and it was here 
 her most profound computations and calculations were 
 made. As one approaches this particular spot, it seems as 
 though he must needs remove his shoes, in realization of 
 standing on holy ground. At the age of sixteen Maria 
 began teaching a private school, which position she soon 
 abandoned for the more congenial occupation of librarian 
 at the Atheneum, where she remained for nearly twenty 
 years, satisfying in a measure her desire for reading and 
 study. Perhaps in no way was her influence more marked 
 than in her censorship of the reading public. Being an 
 avid reader, she quickly scanned the books in her charge, 
 and if in her rare discrimination she discovered one which 
 she considered at all pernicious to the morals, she quietly 
 removed the offending volume and it was seen no more. 
 Always having had a keen desire to travel in the Old World, 
 she grasped the first opportunity that offered, and made the 
 trip which proved an ovation from beginning to end. Her 
 reputation of being a scientist and astronomer having pre- 
 ceded her, she was welcomed into the most exclusive 
 circles, being entertained by Herschel and other astron- 
 omers, becoming a warm friend of the Hawthorne's, and 
 
50 The Glacier's Gift 
 
 others of a high degree of culture. On the opening of 
 Vassar College she was elected to the chair of Mathematical 
 Astronomy, taking charge of the entire observatory and 
 remaining there the remainder of her life. It is not prob- 
 able that any other woman has had the marked distinction 
 accorded her as has this daughter of the seagirt isle. In 
 1847 she discovered the comet which is her namesake, and 
 for which feat she won a gold medal offered by the King 
 of Denmark. She was the first woman elected to the 
 Academy of Arts and Sciences in Boston ; was also a 
 member of the American Philosophical Society, of which 
 Benjamin Franklin was the founder. She became a mem- 
 ber of the American Association for the Advancement of 
 Science, being among the first to enter, and did so at the 
 solicitation of the society. She was one of the earliest 
 advocates of the advancement of women, becoming a mem- 
 ber of the American Association for the Advancement of 
 Women soon after its organization. She was a member 
 of the New England Women's Club of Boston, and also 
 of the Sorosis Club of New York City. As early as 1832 
 she received her first degree of LL.D., Hanover College 
 being the donor. In 1870 Rutgers Female College bestowed 
 the degree of Ph.D.. while Columbia College awarded her 
 the last degree of LL.D. in 1887. In personal appearance 
 Miss Mitchell was not extremely attractive, as she had not 
 the least degree of vanity and cared very little for personal 
 adornment. This is proven by her remarks on the subject 
 of the needle. She thought the needle "the chain of 
 woman, which fettered her more than the laws of the 
 country." She further stated, that if sewing served any 
 purpose other than the gratification of woman's vanity, 
 it might be more commendable, but she held that cultiva- 
 tion of the mind should stand ahead of sewing, as studies 
 could engross as the needle never could. She was singu- 
 
"The Hand that Rules the World" 51 
 
 larly proud of being a woman, holding that there could 
 be no higher destiny for a mortal. She placed a high 
 value on the love her own sex bestowed upon her, feeling 
 that it was sincere and needed no flattery in order to retain 
 it. She was fond of nature and walked out every day, 
 regardless of the weather, until, after her removal to Lynn, 
 she received a fall which prevented her ever walking, as 
 recreation again. She was quick at repartee and was a rare 
 good story-teller. Although reared under the influence of 
 the Quaker faith, her eager mind refused to be bound down 
 by the narrow conventions enforced by that sect in the 
 early days, and while she was never dogmatic in her creed, 
 yet she conformed to the Unitarian faith during her later 
 years. She was a writer of more than ordinary ability, 
 but the few articles she submitted to the publishers were 
 written at their personal solicitation. Her soul was in her 
 college work, and she would not allow anything to interfere 
 with it in any way, and was eager to continue until her 
 seventieth year ; but this wish was denied her, by only six 
 months, however, death coming to her June 28, 1889. Her 
 remains were brought back to the island for which she 
 always retained a sincere affection, and there, at the foot 
 of a small hillock in Prospect Cemetery, the lot enclosed by 
 a low iron fence, a modest tablet of stone announces to 
 the passerby that the earthly remains of this talented 
 daughter of the isle lie in this secluded spot. Briefly sum- 
 ming up her life, it may well be said of Maria Mitchell 
 that she was never false in her thoughts or speech. Every 
 note in her character rang true, and to this genuine sin- 
 cerity of living her success and influence were due. As a 
 closing tribute, no more fitting words can be found than 
 these : 
 
 "Many daughters have done virtuously, but thou excellest 
 them all." 
 
52 The Glacier's Gift 
 
 To bring this chapter to a close, it would be unjust, 
 indeed, to allow the reader to infer that the few names 
 given special mention constitute the entire list of famous 
 women of whom Nantucket can truly boast. The women 
 of the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries were possessed 
 of no ordinary ability. The wives of Tristram Coffin, 
 Thomas Macy, Edward Starbuck, William Bunker, William 
 Worth, and other early settlers, were women of strong 
 characters, whose influence was as deeply felt and of as 
 great a value as that of their sturdy husbands. While 
 Peter Folger's wife, Mary Morrell, was only a servant 
 in the family of Hugh Peters, from whom Folger bought 
 her time for the sum of £20, yet her husband often declared 
 that it was the grandest bargain he ever struck and the 
 best appropriation of money he had ever made. Sarah, the 
 wife of Nathaniel Wyer, was famous as physician and 
 nurse ; in fact, the majority of the island women were able 
 attendants on the sick and dying. 
 
 The wives and daughters of some of the settlers were 
 possessed of great physical strength and endurance, in 
 illustration whereof the following story is apropos : The 
 young wife of William Bunker, having finished her house- 
 hold duties, started out on foot to visit a friend a distance 
 away. She called at one of her neighbors, asked her to 
 accompany her, and the two stopped in town, where they 
 persuaded another woman to join them. The three now 
 walked to their destination, spent the day, and returned to 
 their homes on foot the same evening, making the distance 
 traveled by Mrs. Bunker not less than twenty-two miles. 
 
 The Chase family was possessed of great physical 
 strength. A story is told of one of the women of this 
 family going to a store for flour and, in spite of the vigorous 
 protests from the proprietor, she lifted a barrel full of the 
 required article and walked out with it, seemingly without 
 effort. One of the sisters moved to New York City, and 
 
"The Hand that Rules the World" 53 
 
 a certain drayman persisted in running his dray against 
 the corner of her house. She spoke to him of the matter 
 and asked him to desist. Unfortunately for him he con- 
 tinued his annoying practice, until so exasperated did Miss 
 Chase become that one day she rushed out of her house, 
 took hold of the wagon and turned it upside down in the 
 middle of the street. 
 
 Another anecdote, which illustrates not only the physical 
 prowess but the personal bravery of the women of the 
 Revolutionary times, runs as follows : At one time a num- 
 ber of refugees were staying on the island, and their 
 sentinels were posted around in such a manner that it 
 was difficult for the inhabitants to procure water. At last 
 one young woman concluded to make the venture at all 
 hazards, in spite of the fact that her father told her "Thee 
 had better not. Thee will only get a bayonet in thee." 
 Her reply was that she would as lief die one way as another, 
 and taking up two pails, started on her mission. On pass- 
 ing one of the corners a sentry attempted to stop her 
 progress by presenting his bayonet. Hurling a pail straight 
 into his face, she struck him senseless to the ground, con- 
 tinued on her way, procured the water, and returned home 
 in safety. 
 
 One might relate anecdotes innumerable, but these few 
 must suffice; yet in justice to the present generation it 
 must be said, that the spirit of their noted ancestors has by 
 no means departed, and that should occasion arise, the 
 women of to-day would not be found wanting in any of the 
 attributes which go to the making of famous women. 
 
CHAPTER VI 
 
 Gentlemen of the Old School 
 
 S so much stress has been laid on the influence 
 of woman and the sturdy character of the 
 early settlers, it is only just that the result 
 of this combination of circumstances be made 
 known. It is a perfectly natural consequence 
 that from so virile and wholesome an ancestry 
 there should come a generation of famous 
 men. One such was the son of Stephen and 
 Dinah Chase, born in Nantucket the twenty-third of June, 
 1754. This was Reuben Chase, who, at an early age, took 
 to the sea, winning distinction by serving on the Ranger 
 under John Paul Jones, receiving much praise from his 
 commander after the action between the Ranger and Drake. 
 Chase was also on the ship Alliance when that vessel took 
 Lafayette to France. 
 
 When Jones fitted out the Bou Homme Richard he 
 selected Chase for his midshipman, and on this vessel he 
 took part in one of the most spectacular and thrilling sea- 
 fights on record. This was in the year 1779, when Jones 
 cruised along the Scottish coast with a fleet of French and 
 American vessels. On the twenty-third of September, the 
 British frigate Serapis, belonging to the English squadron, 
 ran afoul of Jones' ship, the Bon Homme Richard; so 
 furious was the battle that ensued that in three hours' 
 time the Serapis struck her colors and 300 of the 375 men 
 in Jones' fleet were either killed or injured. Chase seems 
 to have borne a charmed life, as he was one of the few who 
 passed through the ordeal unscathed. For his conduct at 
 this time he was highly commended by his victorious com- 
 mander. 
 
Hon. Walter Folger 
 
Gentlemen of the Old School 55 
 
 Later Chase became lieutenant of La Bon /{venture, a 
 French privateer, whose captain, John Mayrant, was also 
 from the Bon Homme Richard. 
 
 As a member of the crew of the frigate America, Jones 
 commanding. Chase's naval career came to an end, the last 
 named vessel being presented to the King of France. 
 
 He afterwards became interested in the whaling industry, 
 being captain of whaleships for a number of years. 
 
 The Chase family was noted for their great physical 
 strength, anecdotes of the prowess of the sisters having 
 already been told. Reuben was almost a giant in height. 
 His name has been immortalized by James Fenimore Cooper 
 in his famous and widely read novel, "The Pilot," the 
 hero of which, Long Tom Coffin, represents the most per- 
 fect type of sailor character in existence. Chase died in 
 Nantucket, June 23, 1824, and the following epitaph, which 
 is given through the courtesy of one of the descendants 
 of this famous son of Nantucket, is much in keeping with 
 the primitive idea of recording on tablets of stone all the 
 circumstances attending one's last illness and demise : 
 
 " Free from the storms and gusts of human life, 
 
 Free from its error and its strife, 
 Here lies Reuben Chase anchored; who stood 
 
 The sea of ebbing life and flowing misery. 
 He was not dandj^ rigged, his prudent eye 
 
 Fore-saw and took a reef at fortune's quickest flow. 
 He luffed and bore away to please mankind ; 
 
 Yet duty urged him still to head the wind. 
 Rumatic gusts at length his masts destroyed, 
 
 Yet jury health awhile he yet enjoyed. 
 Worn out with age and shattered head, 
 
 At foot he struck and grounded on his bed. 
 There careening thus he lay. 
 
 His final bilge expecting every day. 
 Heaven took his ballast from his dreary hold, - 
 
 And left his body destitute of soul." 
 
56 The Glacier's Gift 
 
 In 1774 a contingent from Nantucket removed to North 
 Carolina. Of this party was a lady, Abigail Macy. She 
 afterwards became the wife of Benjamin Stanton and 
 removed with him to Ohio. Of this union was born the 
 child who in time became the father of the celebrated war 
 secretary, Edwin Macy Stanton. 
 
 In the year 1765 there was born in Nantucket a child 
 who, after arriving at manhood's estate, enjoyed the dis- 
 tinction of the possession of the widest versatility of 
 genius of any man ever born on the island. This was the 
 Hon. Walter Folger. He was an entirely self-made man, 
 so far as education is concerned, and became an expert in 
 mathematics, astronomy, mechanics and law. He served 
 four years in Congress, declining to accept more than a sec- 
 ond term, declaring that he had done his share and that 
 someone else must take his place. 
 
 While a member of Congress he is said to have worn a 
 suit of clothes which was strictly of home production. The 
 sheep from whose backs the wool was taken were of his 
 own flock, his wife spun the yarn and he wove the cloth 
 on a loom made of wood which he also constructed, while 
 the power was furnished by a windmill of his own inven- 
 tion. This latter proved his inventive genius, as he had 
 never had previous knowledge of a power loom. In speak- 
 ing of his education, it may be said that he had the merest 
 smattering pf even the branches taught in the schools of 
 that early day ; but so determined was he to acquire knowl- 
 edge that he studied every spare moment, even far into the 
 night, and by so doing became proficient, not only in sur- 
 veying and navigation, but mastered astronomy and French 
 as well. At the very early age of twenty-two he began 
 the construction of an astronomical clock which has never 
 been duplicated and is now one of the most interesting 
 relics to be found in Nantucket. It is the property of John 
 B. Folger, grandson of the inventor, and fortunate indeed 
 
Gentlemen of the Old School 57 
 
 is he who can gain admittance to view this truly wonderful 
 piece of mechanism. 
 
 The following description, taken from the New York 
 Times, will enable one to realize to a certain degree the 
 complexity of its construction : 
 
 "John B. Folger, of Nantucket, is in possession of a clock of so 
 marvellous construction as justly entitles it to a wide and admiring 
 notoriety. It stands in the hallway of his home in Nantucket, in a 
 tall wooden case, gracefully ticking the passing moments and hours, 
 as it has done since the 4th of July, 1790, when it was first set in 
 motion by its maker, Hon. Walter Folger, the grandfather of its 
 present owner. 
 
 But mere timekeeping is but a small part of its surprising capacity. 
 In its metallic dial plate is a truncated elliptical slit, about 54 of an 
 inch wide, in which daily circulates a bright golden ball, representing 
 the sun, which daily rises at the eastern end of the slip and sets 
 and disappears at the western end of it at the exact recorded almanac 
 time ; the difference in the length of the days being regulated by a 
 slide at the end of this roadway, which moved up or down by auto- 
 matic machinery, according to the requisition of each day. The 
 same machinery records also the sun's due place in the ecliptic. 
 Outside this pathway of the sun is another similar slit, concentric 
 to the first, in which the moon performs her daily and nightly 
 journeys; indicating her southing and the time of full sea at 
 Nantucket, and also the chief phenomena attendant upon the 
 obliquitv of her path, the revolutions of her nodes, the hunter's 
 and harvest moons ; and in one item, involving a recurrent motion 
 of the machinery for a period of 18 years and some days. Near 
 the top of the dial is another short slit, horizontal, where appears 
 the date of the year, with such contrivance that exactly at mid- 
 night of the day which closes up the year, the old figures are politely 
 dismissed, or benevolently released from further service, and the 
 necessary new ones take their place, ready to salute the awakening 
 inmates of the house with 'A Happy New Year.' 
 
 Not even is that all ; once in a hundred years there are century 
 figures to be changed. And this also is duly provided for by a 
 wheel so arranged as to revolve once in a hundred years, in the 
 following manner: remaining motionless for ten years, then start- 
 ing along one notch, and so on through ten notches until the 
 century is complete." 
 
58 The Glacier's Gift 
 
 The writer of the foregoing description finishes up in 
 the following words : 
 
 "In the lifetime of the maker, at twelve o'clock midnight, Decem- 
 ber 31, 1799, three hoary and faded figures meekly withdrew, and 
 three bright and beardless youngsters stepped briskly into their 
 shoes, shouting "1800!" One of the best authentic instances of 
 spontaneous generation. 
 
 Walter Folger, the maker of this marvellous clock, mentally 
 planned it at the age of 22, and submitting the plan to his father, 
 himself a mathematical genius, was encouraged to undertake its 
 construction ; with his own hands he made every part of it, and 
 set it in operation in 1790, from which date it never failed him in 
 its contemplated movements until his death, which occurred in 
 1849. Since that time it has been once taken to pieces and cleaned ; 
 and through the lack of the extraordinary knowledge and skill 
 necessary to perfect readjustment, it now hesitates in the perform- 
 ance of some of its former matchless feats." 
 
 Another wonderful invention of this famous islander is 
 the reflecting telescope, which he built at the age of fifty- 
 four; with the aid of its powerful lenses he discovered 
 spots on the planet Venus, which Herschel himself had 
 failed to discern. This telescope, every part of which he 
 made himself, is in the possession of the Nantucket Histori- 
 cal Association and can be seen at their rooms in Fair Street. 
 
 Mr. Folger invented a thermometer, but for some reason 
 placed the bulb at the top instead of the bottom, as the 
 ones of later date. Aside from the foregoing inventions 
 he made scores of others, giviiig them away, declaring that 
 he had no desire for money, as it might do him more 
 injury than good. It is said of him that he taught his 
 ideas to persons coming from a distance to learn of him, 
 and he not only gave his time, but boarded them in his own 
 home without any charge whatever while they were his 
 pupils. 
 
 That his wife did not fully appreciate his genius is proven 
 by the following anecdote : On his return from Congress 
 
ASTKONOMICAl. CLOCK MAUK 1;V 
 HON. WALTER hOLCER 
 
Gentlemen of the Old School 59 
 
 one time, he and his wife went to spend the evening with 
 friends, and while there, the news of his arrival home 
 having reached the people of his town, many wishing to 
 consult him on various matters had the temerity to call 
 him out at different times during the evening. This so 
 exasperated Mrs. Folger that, turning to her hostess, she 
 remarked, with a great deal of asperity, "Ain't thee glad 
 that thy husband isn't as smart as mine?" A doubtful 
 compliment, yet showing that perhaps a less sought after 
 person might have been a more congenial companion. 
 
 Mr. Folger's public life embraced six years in the Massa- 
 chusetts House of Representatives, six years as judge of 
 common pleas, four years in Congress and the practice of 
 law for all of twenty years. It had been said that he never 
 lost a case, and while judge never had a case appealed 
 from his decision. He finally gave up the practice of law, 
 because he said his clients were not satisfied unless he lied 
 for them and this he steadfastly refused to do. His 
 uprightness of character was proverbial. The following 
 notice of his death is taken from the Nantucket Inquirer 
 under date of September 12, 1849: 
 
 "Death: — On Saturday last (about 4 p. m.) Hon. Walter Fo!?rer, 
 aged 84 years and 3 months (nearly). A gentleman of rare mechan- 
 ical, mathematical and scientific talents, who at different periods of 
 his life held various distinguished stations of trust and honor, the 
 duties of which he fulfilled with ability and integrity."' 
 
 In the hallway, close to the famous clock, hangs an oil 
 painting of its still more famous inventor, keeping silent 
 watch through the years which are still being registered 
 by the faithful servant. 
 
 As one of Nantucket's truly great, William Mitchell 
 should receive more than passing notice, although space 
 forbids little more, for to give him the credit really due 
 him many pages should be devoted to recording his achieve- 
 
6o The Glacier's Gift 
 
 ments. Perhaps the greatest eulogy might be expressed 
 in the following sentence : He was the father of Maria 
 Mitchell, than whom there has been no greater woman. 
 
 William Mitchell was bom in Nantucket in the latter 
 part of the eighteenth century. Owing to stress of cir- 
 cumstances, caused by the Revolution and the threatened 
 destruction of the whale fisheries, in which his father was 
 interested, young Mitchell was prevented from taking up a 
 course of studies in Harvard for which he had prepared 
 himself. He became a teacher in his native town instead. 
 In 1812 he married Lydia Coleman, a descendant of the 
 earliest settlers of the island. While not possessed with 
 an over-abundance of this world's goods, this couple were 
 very happy in their home life. As a teacher Mr. Mitchell 
 was successful, exerting a rare influence on all with whom 
 he came in contact. All his pupils loved him for his gentle- 
 ness of manner. He was kind to every living thing. Mr. 
 Mitchell was the master of the first free school in Nan- 
 tucket, which was established in 1827. 
 
 He was an indulgent parent, his first thought being to 
 satisfy the least desire on the part of his children. He was 
 extremely fond of bright colors, which were prohibited by 
 the Quaker faith, of which he was an adherent, but he 
 solaced himself with the cultivation of gay colored flowers 
 and gayly bound books. A story is told of the purchase 
 of a piano by the family and, owing to the opposition of 
 the Quakers to any musical instrument, it was stored in 
 a nearby house. One day, Mr. and Mrs. Mitchell being 
 out to tea, the children, upheld by Maria, who, by the way, 
 had assisted in the purchase of the same, had the instru- 
 ment removed to their own house. Upon the arrival home 
 of the parents someone was appointed to strike up a tune. 
 The programme was carried out to the letter and when Mr. 
 Mitchell heard the music and was given an account of 
 the proceeding he simply said, "Play something lively now," 
 
Gentlemen of the Old School 6i 
 
 and clasping hands with the dehghted children, danced 
 gayly through the house. He was taken to task by the 
 heads of the Meeting, but defended himself by the theory 
 that every man's house is his castle, in which he may reign 
 supreme, and carried the day without serious results. 
 Although he was, strictly speaking, a scholar and scientist, 
 he did not confine himself to study, but was a man of affairs, 
 being secretary of the Phoenix Marine Insurance Company, 
 cashier of the Pacific Bank, was one time president of the 
 Atheneum Library and afterwards trustee of the same. He 
 was also a member of the State Senate and one of Governor 
 Briggs' Council. He served as chairman of the Harvard 
 Observatory Committee and for a long time was one of 
 the overseers of Harvard College. While all of his children 
 were scholarly, only two of them followed the father's par- 
 ticular line of science, Henry Mitchell, assistant in the 
 Coast Survey and a man who was an acknowledged author- 
 ity the world over, and Maria Mitchell, the astronomer. 
 
 William Mitchell was entirely free from the erratic 
 temperament displayed by so many scholars and never 
 put any check on the pleasures of young people. 
 
 On the death of his wife, which occurred in 1861, he 
 removed to Lynn, where he resided until the election of 
 his daughter, Maria, to the chair of Mathematical Astron- 
 omy at Vassar. By special invitation of Matthew Vassar 
 he went to that place and spent the remainder of his life, 
 entering into rest in April, 1869, l^is demise being cause 
 for wide-felt sorrow. He w^as brought back and laid to 
 rest in his native sod. His whole life had been one of 
 extreme purity and humility. He had been in touch with 
 the greatest minds of the times, Herschel included. 
 
 Another prominent son of Nantucket was the Hon. 
 Charles J. Folger. He was born in the year 181 8. When 
 but a boy he, with his parents, removed to Geneva, New 
 
62 The Glacier's Gift 
 
 York. At the extremely early age of eighteen he was 
 graduated from Hobart College, being admitted to the 
 bar three years later. He immediately entered public life, 
 his first appointment being that of judge of common pleas, 
 followed by election as county judge in 1851, in which 
 capacity he served four years. He went to the State 
 Senate in 1861 and in 1869 became subtreasurer of the 
 United States in New York City. He was made chief 
 justice of the Court of Appeals in 1880 and secretary of 
 the United States Treasury one year later, which position 
 he held to the time of his death. In 1882 he was made 
 the Republican candidate for governor of New York State, 
 Grover Cleveland being his opponent. The result is well 
 known, and it has been said that the failure of his party 
 to support him in this campaign not only proved a death- 
 blow to Judge Folger's political aspirations, but also affected 
 his physical health to such a degree that he soon after 
 passed away. He was acknowledged to be the ablest state 
 senator since Seward's time and through all his political 
 and public service never gave the least cause for reproach. 
 He stood for what he considered right, regardless of all 
 opposition and his home papers stated that he had never 
 been classed as any man's man. That he was the brainiest, 
 most capable and scholarly man of his time cannot but 
 reflect lasting glory on the place of his birth. He died in 
 1884. 
 
 Another native of Nantucket, one who left the island 
 at an early age and who is the father of a family of more 
 than ordinary interest, is Samuel Weeks, now of Carthage, 
 Missouri. His father, James Weeks, was an architect and 
 builder, having erected one of the Friends' meetinghouses 
 in Nantucket. James Weeks became a Quaker through 
 the influence of Joseph Starbuck. When the boy Samuel 
 was but twelve years of age he, with his parents, moved 
 
Gentlemen of the Old School 6^ 
 
 to Georgetown, Illinois, where he grew to manhood. Here 
 he met and married Sarah Price, daughter of Williamson 
 Price, who was a member of one of the F. F. V., leaving 
 the Old Dominion on account of his abolitionist tendencies. 
 Of this union there were six children born, all of whom 
 are still living, as are also the venerable parents, who but 
 recently celebrated their sixtieth wedding anniversary. 
 The eldest son, John M., was for years one of Missouri's 
 leading politicians, being state representative, judge of the 
 County Court, and county recorder of Jasper, the banner 
 county of the greatest of all the states of the Middle West. 
 Another son, W. M., is a man possessed of keen business 
 insight and untiring energy wherever commercial enterprise 
 is concerned. Francis M. has ever been acknowledged as 
 leader in the business world. The fourth son, George, now 
 of Denver, Colorado, is a graduate of Penn College, a 
 Quaker institution in Oskaloosa, Iowa, and has done much 
 efficient work along religious lines, having been for a num- 
 ber of years a missionary in Central and South America. 
 One daughter, Mrs. W. W. Green, is a woman of strong 
 religious convictions, adhering to the tenets of the Quaker 
 church, of which organization she is a faithful attendant 
 and supporter. The last, but by no means the least impor- 
 tant member of the Weeks family, is the daughter, Martha, 
 wife of J. H. Haworth, a business man and wide-awake 
 politician. Mrs. Haworth is a bright, capable woman, her- 
 self the mother of two model sons. She is closely identi- 
 fied with the religious life of her home town and is known 
 far and near for her generosity and s}'mpathy for all who 
 are in need. But that for which she should receive the 
 highest encomium is her filial devotion to the aged parents, 
 whose faces are turned toward the sunset ; always loving 
 and kind, smoothing down the rough places in their path- 
 way, she has proven her right to the promise of length 
 of davs in the land v.diich the Lord has cfiven her. 
 
64 The Glacier's Gift 
 
 That the foregoing is a complete Hst of the notable Nan- 
 tucketers of later times is not by any means true. From 
 the earliest times in the history of the island there have 
 been restless flittings to all parts of the world. Nova 
 Scotia received a colony from both Nantucket and Cape 
 Cod. The history of the founding of Hudson, New York, 
 is well known, and though this event occurred in 1783, 
 there are many families bearing the old names still in the 
 vicinity. A colony removed to Ohio in 1845 and from this 
 contingent other Western states received a share. 
 
 Nantucket was not so remote but that the infection of 
 "gold fever" struck it with terrific force in 1849. Hun- 
 dreds of men from the island sailed for California, and 
 while very few met with any great success in their pursuit 
 of the illusive dollar, yet their descendants have made 
 good, in many instances representing the backbone of finan- 
 cial enterprise. 
 
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 X 
 
 
 
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 fe 
 
 W^KnmLMKs'^ 
 
 
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 ^^^H^^^HwiWtty 
 
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 ■J--^-*a4XiaU:i" 
 
 ^bIhIf' 
 
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CHAPTER VII 
 
 The Dark Tenant of the Wild 
 
 N speaking" of the Indians, of whom the white 
 settlers obtained deeds of the land on which 
 to settle, very little is known prior to 1641, 
 owing to the fact that they kept no records, 
 aside from various legends and myths which 
 were handed down from one generation to 
 another. While these make very pleasing 
 additions to folklore, yet their true bearing on 
 history is of very little value. Therefore, the origin of 
 the Nantucket Indians and the length of time they inhabited 
 the island prior to the coming of the white man are largely 
 matters of speculation. Referring again to Norse history, 
 however, it is said that in the year 1003 Thorvald landed 
 on a headland which was known afterward as Cape Cod. 
 This spot proved so attractive that Thorvald decided to 
 settle there. On going ashore he and his crew saw what 
 they supposed were three hillocks on the sandy shore. On 
 nearer approach they found three canoes made of skin and 
 each canoe sheltered three Indians, or Skraelings, as the 
 Norsemen called them. In the skirmish which ensued, eight 
 of the natives were killed ; the remaining one made his 
 escape, to return later with a large contingent of his own 
 tribe. They attacked Thorvald and his party, and although 
 repulsed, gave Thorvald his mortal wound; the headland, 
 which had been so attractive to him a few days previous, 
 now became his sepulchre. If there were Indians on Cape 
 Cod at that early date, it is highly credible that Nantucket 
 was also inhabited by perhaps the same tribe or its tribu- 
 taries. Some historians aver that the natives found by 
 the white settlers of Nantucket were of the Natick tribe, 
 
66 The Glacier's Gift 
 
 while others declare them to have been tributary to King 
 Philip's Pokanoket tribe, which in turn belonged to the 
 great Wampanoag family. 
 
 A full discussion of the Indian question belongs to a 
 more comprehensive article than space allows in this work. 
 Macy has it, however, that there were something like 3,000 
 on the island at the time of the arrival of the white settlers. 
 This number was divided into different tribes or families, 
 of which two at least seemed to predominate ; these two 
 in turn were presided over by two chiefs or sachems, 
 Wanackmamack and Nickanoose, who as head sachems 
 claimed the original title to the land. It was from these 
 same chiefs the English obtained deeds or conveyances, 
 known as sachems' rights, and though perhaps of little 
 value in so far as deeds go, yet the sachems guaranteed 
 that the Indians would relinquish all claims and never 
 afterwards seek to reclaim their rights, or in any way dis- 
 turb the English in the possession of the same; and that 
 the rights of the Indians were in turn recognized and pro- 
 tected by the English Government is shown by the condi- 
 tions which were attached to the Lovelace patent in 1671, 
 namely : that the English were to purchase the land from 
 the Indians and the Crown would then ratify and confirm 
 these purchases. Although there came a time when the 
 Indians petitioned for protection from the abuses of the set- 
 tlers, yet when King Philip sought to induce the Nantucket 
 tribes to join him in war, they declined, declaring them- 
 selves to be at peace with their white neighbors; thus 
 proving that whatever their grievances may have been, 
 they were not of sufficient magnitude to cause any lasting 
 malice or hatred. 
 
 The liquor problem, even in those early days, became 
 complex and difficult of solution ; and although it cannot 
 be gainsaid that much of the criminality practiced by the 
 Indians after their coming into contact with the white 
 
The Dark Tenant of the Wild 67 
 
 settlers was due to the influence of liquor, still there is no 
 proof for the assertion often made that the general dis- 
 satisfaction among the Indians was from this cause. It 
 cannot truthfully be said that the English ever took advan- 
 tage of their red brothers while they were under the influ- 
 ence of strong drink. 
 
 The primary cause of their unrest, was a failure to 
 understand property transference. It seemed almost 
 impossible for these people, who had perhaps for ages 
 shifted from one part of the island to another and had 
 roamed at will over its moors, free as the birds that rested 
 here on their flight seaward, to realize that once they had 
 signed away their rights to certain meadows and fields, 
 they could never have use of them again. Although the 
 sachems promised that the rights should never be ques- 
 tioned concerning possession of the land, yet after the old 
 sachems passed away, it seems that their heirs thought the 
 land belonged to them, regardless of any transaction 
 between the sachems and the white purchasers. But when 
 the matter was brought before the court and the deeds 
 examined, it was decided that said deeds were strictly legal 
 and, therefore, the titles good. 
 
 Another cause for much complaint was a seeming failure 
 to place a proper estimate on the laws of the English 
 settlers. The Indians would take a lashing without a 
 murmur, but that they should be subject to fines for wrong- 
 doing to the extent of giving up their horses and cattle, 
 in lieu of money, seemed incomprehensible and no doubt 
 reprehensible to them. 
 
 There can be no question, after reading the records, 
 that the early settlers treated the Indians with perfect 
 justice; never inflicting punishment on them without just 
 cause and provocation, and allowing them land for houses 
 and planting, never rejecting or removing them from their 
 homes. Even in the matter of whaling and fishing their 
 
68 The Glacier's Gift 
 
 rights were recognized and regulated. When bodies of 
 whales drifted ashore they were eagerly seized upon by 
 the natives as rich prizes. The courts apportioned off 
 different parts of these whales to different parties, that 
 one might not have any advantage over another. In one 
 instance, a complaint was registered by Massaquet against 
 Eleazur Foulger for taking a whale away from the former. 
 The trial was held before a jury, the verdict being rendered 
 in favor of the plaintiff: the defendant was ordered to 
 pay the sum of £4 for the whale. 
 
 The following, which is taken from the records at the 
 State House in Boston, goes to prove the fairness of the 
 white tribunal : 
 
 "1718, Nov. 17. Complaint received and read from the Indians 
 of Nantucket importing that their English neighbors allow them 
 but one-half price for their whaling: that they have pulled down 
 the Indian's houses and built on their lands : that they plow across 
 the Indians and plant in their land and take away their horses and 
 cattle to prevent their plowing : that if the Indians sue the English 
 the Judge, Jury, Sheriff and Clerk, are the defendants and praying 
 that they may have equal and impartial trials, this being their 
 fourth complaint. To the foregoing complaint, Joseph Coffin, 
 representative from Nantucket, 'made answer and replication,' 
 that as to what they allege of being paid one-half price for their 
 service, they have no reason to complain, they being allowed 
 according to the custom of the Island, one-half, the other being 
 allowed for the boat and craft, which is in proportion as is 
 allowed to white men : that they owe the English a great deal 
 who have often housed and relieved them in their necessities : 
 that the English have never pulled down their houses, but when 
 they built upon the English land : that they have no other ground 
 to complain of the English taking away their horses and cattle 
 but their being impounded when they are taken in the English 
 pastures; that titles of land between the English and Indians 
 are never tried on the Island of Nantucket : that in all other causes 
 between them, justice has been impartially administered, and they 
 have often been favored in the judgment of their courts: that the 
 English inhabitants are willing and desirous that the debts con- 
 tracted by the Indians for the last five years may be fairly stated, 
 
The Dark Tenant of the Wild 69 
 
 and that if in the record of their courts or otherwise, anything 
 unjust or unreasonable appears in their dealings, they shall be 
 glad to be better regulated." 
 
 Among the crimes committed and the fines imposed for 
 the same, that of theft seems to predominate and the fines 
 imposed very small indeed compared with the magnitude 
 of the ofTence. For instance: housebreaking — sentenced 
 to be whipped ; sheep-stealing — whipped ; for other thefts, 
 a fine of twenty shillings imposed. It is said the death 
 penalty was never inflicted for anything less than murder. 
 
 Although there is no record of open resistance against 
 the whites, or any attempts at massacre, as was true in 
 nearly all the other New England colonies, yet an incident 
 in the life of one of the women of the early times seems 
 to fit in just at this place. The story runs as follows: A 
 certain family had moved into a house which was still in 
 the course of construction. The parents, with their two 
 small children, occupied a sleeping-room on the lower floor, 
 while the unfinished open attic was utilized by a young man 
 relative. Early one morning the man of the house arose 
 and went out to join a crew in a boat in quest of whales, 
 leaving the other inmates asleep. Soon after he had left 
 the house the woman was awakened by the sound of foot- 
 steps on the floor above. Thinking that the young man 
 was walking around, she called out to him to be careful, 
 lest he fall through the opening in the floor. She had 
 just ceased speaking when through the aperture an Indian 
 dropped and began whetting his knife, declaring he was 
 going to kill her. She was almost overcome with fright, 
 but upon the Indian's announcing that the edge was sharp 
 enough to do the work, she gave one leap toward the door, 
 just escaping the grasp of the miscreant's hand, as he 
 sought to lay hold of her arm. Racing wildly to the 
 nearest house, and shrieking the word "Indian," the now 
 thoroughly distracted woman fell in a faint on the door- 
 
70 The Glacier's Gift 
 
 step. The neighbor, to whom she had fled for refuge, 
 suspecting that something was amiss, repaired to the house 
 at once, where he found the Indian in a maudHn condition. 
 A basket just outside the door contained a bottle of Hquor, 
 which accounted somewhat for the Indian's actions. The 
 offender was arrested and placed in jail on the charge of 
 plunder, after he had confessed that he had entered the 
 house for that purpose only, his threat having been made 
 as a means of ridding the house of its occupant. The 
 unpleasant experience left such an impression upon the 
 woman, however, that even in after years she could not 
 recount it without a shiver of horror. 
 
 A peculiar mode of punishment which the Indians 
 inflicted upon their children is most interesting : The 
 father of an incorrigible boy would get some bayberry 
 root, scrape off a portion of the bark and place it in a bottle 
 of water, where it was allowed to steep for a time ; then 
 taking the lad in question and laying him on his back, 
 holding his arms down by placing a knee on each one, and 
 turning back his head by laying hold of his hair, the father, 
 filling his mouth with the bayberry water, would proceed 
 to squirt the liquid into the culprit's nostrils. This was 
 repeated several times, until the victim was nearly strangled. 
 After a while, however, he would recover, a wiser, though 
 sadder child. This mode of punishment was called by the 
 Indians "Medom-humar," or "great punishment." 
 
 In 1763 a terrible scourge swept the island, depleting the 
 Indian population to the number of 136. Thirty-four 
 recovered, thirty-six escaped, eighteen were at sea, while 
 the forty who lived among the whites escaped infection 
 altogether, as did also the entire white population. In con- 
 nection with this sickness it has been said that before its 
 advent the waters around Nantucket abounded in bluefish, 
 thirty of which would fill a barrel. In 1764, however, they 
 disappeared, and this particular .species has never returned. 
 
The Dark Tenant of the Wild 71 
 
 Although the records abound with the misdemeanors and 
 complaints of the Indians, but little is told of their religious 
 fervor. Experience Mayhew, however, in 1727, wrote a 
 most interesting book, entitled "Indian Converts: or Some 
 Accounts of the Lives and Dying Speeches of a Consider- 
 able Number of the Christianized Indians of Martha's 
 Vineyard."' In the same volume Thomas Prince gives some 
 idea of the work done by the Mayhews in the adjacent 
 islands, as well. Excerpts from this volume must not be 
 passed over as irrelevant, because they go to show an 
 entirely different side of the Indian character from that 
 generally known. The Indian is supposed by the casual 
 observer to have been stoical and undemonstrative to a 
 fault, but it is clearly shown that when the spiritual side 
 of his nature was appealed to, he was as tender and emo- 
 tional as his white brother. The first example cited by 
 Experience Mayhew is that of Hiacoomes, who is known 
 as the first Christian Indian and minister on the island of 
 Martha's Vineyard. 
 
 "This Hiacoomes was an Indian of Great Harbor, now Edgar- 
 town, where a few English families first settled, in the year 1642. 
 
 His descent was but mean, his speech but slow, and his counte- 
 nance not very promising. He was therefore by the Indian 
 Sachems, and others of their principal men, looked on as but a 
 mean person, scarce worthy of their notice or regard. However, 
 living near the English, some of them visited him in his wigwam, 
 and were courteously entertained by him; these endeavored to 
 discourse a little with him about the ways of the English, and the 
 man seemed to harken to them, and in a little time began to 
 pay them visits again, going frequently to some of their houses : 
 And it was thought that he was trying to learn something of them 
 that might be for his advantage. About the same time he went 
 also to the English meeting, and observed what was done there. 
 
 This was soon observed by the Reverend Mr. Thomas Mayhew, 
 who was then minister to the few English inhabitants in that 
 new plantation, and was at the same time contriving what might 
 be done in order to the salvation of the miserable Indians about 
 
72 The Glacier's Gift 
 
 him, whom he, with compassion, saw perishing for the lack of 
 vision. 
 
 But now, observing in this Hiacoomes a disposition to hear and 
 receive instruction; observing also, that his countenance was grave 
 and sober, he resolved to essay in the first place what he could 
 do with him, and immediately took an opportunity to discourse 
 him ; and finding encouragement to go on in his endeavors to 
 instruct and enlighten him, he invited him to come to his house 
 every Lord's Day evening, that so he might then more especially 
 have a good opportunity to treat with him about the things of 
 God, and open the mysteries of his Kingdom to him. 
 
 Hiacoomes accepting this kind invitation, Mr. Mayhew used his 
 utmost endeavors to enlighten him. And Hiacoomes seemed as 
 eagerly to suck in the instructions given him, as if his heart had 
 been prepared by God, and made good ground, in order to a due 
 reception of his Word sown in if, and thus, as a new-born babe, 
 desiring the sincere Milk of the Word, that he might grow thereby, 
 he increased daily in knowledge and so far as could appear, grew 
 in grace also." 
 
 Experience Mayhew continues in his account of this man 
 that the pawaws and sachems, hearing of Hiacoomes' attach- 
 ment to the Englishmen and their reHgion, were very 
 angry with him, and mahgned and mistreated him in every 
 way, even to striking him "a grievous blow in the face." 
 For this action Hiacoomes repaid them by saying: "One 
 hand for the injuries and another hand for God ; whilst I 
 receive wrong with the one, I lay the faster hold on God 
 with the other." 
 
 In the year 1643 ^ '^'^ry strange disease broke out among 
 the Indians. They ran till exhausted, blacking their faces 
 and snatching up weapons, as though to do harm to the 
 English. The Indians attributed this calamity to the 
 departure of some of their own people from the ways of 
 heathenism and their own customs. 
 
 "But Hiacoomes being built upon that foundation that standeth 
 sure, and being one of those whom God had set apart for Him- 
 self, and knew to be His, none of these things moved him; but 
 
The Dark Tenant of the Wild 73 
 
 the things he had heard and learned he held fast; And that he 
 might be in a way to learn more than he had done, he now earnestly 
 desired to learn to read ; and having a primer given him, he 
 carried it about with him, till, by the help of such as were willing 
 to instruct him, he attained the end for which he desired it." 
 
 Through the influence of Hiacoomes, many of the most 
 stubborn of the pawaws were converted. 
 
 "For three years after his conversion, this good man only 
 instructed his neighbors in private, as he had opportunity: but 
 after they were prepared and disposed to give him public audience, 
 with what zeal and boldness did he preach to them ! He then 
 not only declared and opened the great mysteries of religion to 
 them, as that of the Trinity, the Covenant of Works by God made 
 with man, man's fall and apostasy by Adam's first transgression, 
 and the wretched condition which mankind was thereby brought 
 into, and the way of redemption, which God has in and by his 
 Son Jesus Christ provided for them, etc. I say, he not only 
 instructed them in these things, but boldly charged them with 
 the sins and abominations in which they daily lived: especially 
 with their worshipping of false gods, and adhering to Pawaws 
 or wizards, and giving that honor to creatures that was due to 
 Jehovah only." 
 
 Hiacoomes hved to a great age, and although for several 
 years previous to his death he was not able to speak pub- 
 licly, yet he continued his ministrations and was considered 
 by both English and Indians "A man of a very blameless 
 conversation." "In his last sickness he breathed forth 
 many pious expressions and gave good exhortations to all 
 about him, and so went into eternal rest." 
 
 It was not to the men only that religion appealed. Mr. 
 Mayhew gives many instances of the remarkable experiences 
 of both women and children, one example of each of which 
 must suffice. "One Abigail, called by the Indians Amma- 
 poo, was the daughter of a petty sachem of Holmes' Hole. 
 She became the wife of one of the Indian ministers. She 
 was taught to read while young, till by a scald in her face 
 
74 The Glacier's Gift 
 
 she in a great measure lost her sight, within a few years 
 after she was first married. She used, while her husband 
 lived, to pray in the family, in his absence, and frequently 
 gave good counsel to her children." In her last years, 
 being left a widow, 
 
 "she lived with her children, and used to pray with them, nnd 
 frequently gave many good instructions to them. * * * * She 
 prayed much at other times, * * * and delighted much in going 
 to the House of God, and would scarce ever stay away from 
 meeting, unless there was some very necessary occasion for it. 
 * * * * She often spake of this world as none of our resting 
 place, and of herself and others as strangers and pilgrims in it. 
 But of Heaven she used to talk as a place of excellent Glory, 
 where God the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit dwell, and from 
 whence the holy Angels come to minister to the saints on the 
 earth, and to which they would at their death convey them. And 
 of death she would sometime speak as the hand of God, by which 
 his people were removed into a better place than the world is; 
 and would also call it a ferryman, by which we have our passage 
 out of this life into the next." 
 
 At the time of her final illness, one of her daughters 
 having watched long at her bedside, was entreated by her 
 mother to lie down and get some rest. Fearing that death 
 might come while she slept the daughter protested ; but 
 Abigail was firm, saying that "God would take care of her." 
 Instead of lying down, however, the daughter sat in the 
 room with her eyes nearly closed. Suddenly she became 
 aware of a great light shining in the room, outrivaling the 
 brightness of the noonday sun ; "when looking up she saw 
 two bright shining persons standing in white raiment at her 
 mother's bed side, who, on her sight of them, with the light 
 attending them, immediately disappeared. Upon saying 
 something to her mother of what she had seen, the latter 
 replied : 'This is what I said to you, God taketh care of me.' 
 She also told another person, before she died, that her 
 guardians were already come for her." Just before she 
 
The Dark Tenant of the Wild 75 
 
 departed this life she prayed earnestly for not only her 
 children and friends, but also her enemies, and committing 
 her soul into the hands of her Redeemer, she passed out of 
 earth life to the one beyond. 
 
 A most interesting example of early piety is given in 
 the name of Bethia Tuphaus who died between the ages of 
 three and four years. Her parents, being godly people, their 
 conversations seem to have made a deep impression on their 
 little daughter. When she was only three years old her 
 father was taken seriously ill. Going into his room 
 one day, her mother found Bethia on her knees at her 
 father's bedside, speaking and praying to God. She first 
 confessed her sins and unworthiness to speak to the Lord, 
 and then proceeded to plead for her father's life, asking 
 that if it were not God's will to spare him, that he would 
 take him to himself, giving him life eternal. She then 
 prayed for her small brothers and all little children, that 
 God would extend his favor to them. While absent from 
 home, being sent to her grandparents, her father passed 
 away, and so deeply did she grieve for him that a sort of 
 melancholy seemed to possess her, and in a short time she, 
 too, sickened and died. On her deathbed she expressed 
 great willingness to die and go to Heaven to be with God. 
 Thus passed away one of the youngest examples of godly 
 children. 
 
 In order to show what the English did toward Christian- 
 izing the Indians of Martha's Vineyard and adjacent 
 islands, the following excerpts are taken from the writings 
 of Thomas Prince, who in 1727 added to the book just 
 mentioned, written by Mayhew, "some account of those Eng- 
 lish ministers who have successively presided over the work 
 of gospelizing the Indians of Martha's Vineyard and adja- 
 cent islands." 
 
 "The worthy collector of the foregoing instances having very 
 well expressed his concern that God may have the glory of his 
 
76 The Glacier's Gift 
 
 works of Grace upon that people, it must needs be very fitting 
 there should now be some account of those more principal English 
 instruments, which Heaven has been pleased to qualify and inspire 
 with zeal for this difficult employment, and then to crown and 
 honor with such remarkable success. And as the author happens 
 to be restrained from publishing a just account of these, by his 
 near relation to them, and his commendable modesty, it is but 
 gratitude and justice that some other hand should now take the 
 pen, and draw something of those worthy gentlemen, who have 
 chiefly labored in this evangelick service, and by whose care and 
 pains such happy fruits have sprung and grown. 
 
 This I shall therefore, with all faithfulness and convenient 
 brevity, endeavor, partly from several books and pamphlets pub- 
 lished both in Old England and New, partly from two or three 
 manuscripts of credit I have now in my hands, and partly from 
 my own enquiries and informations of the living. 
 
 Mr, Thomas Mayhew, senior, coming over as a merchant to 
 the Massachusetts, in the early times of that plantation, and meet- 
 ing with disappointments in his business, he first purchases a farm 
 at Watertown, and applies himself to husbandry." 
 
 Then follows a brief account of the procuring of the 
 grant of Martha's Vineyard from Forrett; also the islands 
 of Nantucket and the Elizabeth Islands. Continuing, the 
 author says: 
 
 "In 1642, he sends Mr. Thomas Mayhew, junior, his only son, 
 being then a young scholar about twenty-one years of age, with 
 some other persons, to the Vineyard, where they settled at the 
 east end; and quickly after the father followed, and became their 
 Governor. But because the son appears to be the first that labored 
 in the Indian service, on these islands, I shall therefore here begin 
 with him. 
 
 The Rev. Mr. Thomas Mayhew, junior, the only son of the 
 worshipful Thomas Mayhew, Esq., was a young gentleman of 
 liberal education, and of such repute for piety as well as natural 
 and acquired gifts, having no small degree of knowledge in the 
 Latin and Greek language, and being not wholly a stranger to 
 Hebrew, that soon after their settlement on the Island, the new 
 plantation called him to the ministry among them. But his English 
 flock being then but small, the sphere was not large enough for 
 so bright a star to move in. With great compassion, he beheld the 
 
The Dark Tenant of the Wild 77 
 
 wretched natives, who were then several thousands on those Islands, 
 perishing in utter ignorance of the true God and eternal life, 
 laboring under strange delusions, inchantments, and panick fears 
 of devils, whom they most passionately worshipped, and in such 
 a miserable case as those Eph. 2nd and 12th, 'Without Christ, 
 being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from 
 the Covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in 
 the world.' But God, who had ordained him an evangelist for the 
 conversion of these Indian gentiles, stirred him up with an holy 
 zeal and resolution, to labor their illumination and deliverance. 
 He first endeavors to get acquainted with them, and then earnestly 
 applies himself to learn their language. He treats them in a con- 
 descending and friendly manner. He denies himself, and does his 
 utmost to oblige and help them. He takes all occasions to insinuate 
 and show the sincere and tender love and good will he bare them ; 
 and as he grows in their acquaintance and affection, he proceeds 
 to express his great concern and pity for their immortal souls. 
 He tells them of their deplorable condition under the power of 
 malicious devils, who not only kept them in ignorance of those 
 earthly good things, which might render their lives in this world 
 much more comfortable, but of those also, which might bring them 
 to eternal happiness in the world to come; what a kind and mighty 
 God the English served, and how the Indians might happily come 
 into His favor and protection. The first Indian that embraced 
 the motion of forsaking their false gods, and adoring the true 
 one, was Hiacoomes, which was in the year 1643, an account of 
 whom, we therefore have in the first of the foregoing examples. 
 This Indian living near the English settlement, quickly grew into 
 an acquaintance with them. And being a man of sober, thought- 
 ful, and ingenuous spirit, he not only visited their houses, but also 
 their public and religious meetings ; at which time Mr. Mayhew 
 took particular notice of him, discoursed often with him, invited 
 him to his house every Lord's Day evening, gave him a clear 
 account of the nature, reasonableness, and importance of Christian 
 faith, and quickly brought him to a firm and resolute adherence 
 to it. Mr. Mayhew having gained Hiacoomes, he first employs 
 him as a faithful instrument to prepare his way to the rest of 
 the natives, instructing him more and more in this new religion. 
 showing him how to recommend it to them, and to answer all 
 their arguments and objections against it. And then in 1644, he 
 proceeds to visit and discourse them himself, carrying a greater 
 and more irresistible light and evidence with him. And whereas 
 
78 The Glaciers Gift 
 
 at first he could not hope to be heard in public, he therefore 
 begins to instruct them in a more private way, sometimes going 
 to the houses of those he esteemed most rational and well qualified, 
 and at other times treating with particular persons. And as Mr. 
 Mayhew endeavored the good of these heathens, by discoursing 
 with as many as were willing to have conference with him, so 
 with Hiacoomes in particular, whom he from time to time directed 
 to communicate the knowledge received to those that Mr. Mayhew 
 could not so easily meet with. And thus they united their counsels, 
 and wrought together, and by the blessing of God, soon gained 
 some others. But that which especially favored the progress of 
 religion among them, was a universal sickness, wherewith they 
 were visited in the following year; wherein it was observed by 
 the heathen Indians themselves, that those who hearkened to Mr. 
 Mayhew's pious instructions did not taste so deeply of it, and 
 Hiacoomes and his family in a manner nothing at all. This put 
 the natives, who lived within six miles of the English, upon serious 
 consideration about this matter, being much affected, that he who 
 had professed the Christian religion, and had thereby exposed 
 himself to much reproach and trouble, should receive more bless- 
 ings than they: whereupon Myoxco the chief man of that place, 
 and Towanquatick the Sagamore, with many others, sent for 
 Hiacoomes, to tell them what he knew of the God which the English 
 worshipped. At this very meeting, which was in 1646, Myoxco 
 was happily enlightened, and turned to choose and acknowledge 
 this God for his own; and Towanquatick, soon after, encouraged 
 by some others, desired Mr. Mayhew to give them a public meet- 
 ing, to make known to them the Word of God in their own tongue : 
 and among other incitements, addressed him thus : — 'You shall be 
 to us as one that stands by a running river, filling many vessels ; 
 even so shall you fill us with everlasting knowledge.' So Mr. 
 Mayhew undertook to give them a meeting once a month; but 
 as soon as the first exercise was over, they desired it oftener 
 than he could well attend; however once a fortnight was the settled 
 course; and as this was the first public audience among them, so 
 from hence, both Mr. Mayhew on week-days lecture, and Hiacoomes 
 on the Sabbaths, were constantly heard in public, as long as they 
 lived. However Mr. Mayhew here met with three very great 
 obstacles; for, (i) : — Many strongly stood for their own meetings, 
 ways, and customs, as being in their account, much more advan- 
 tageous and agreeable than ours, wherein they have nothing but 
 talking and praying, and this in a manner too still and sober for 
 
The Dark Tenant of the Wild 79 
 
 them. (2) : — Others alleged, that the Sagamores were generally 
 against this new way. But the (3) and greatest of all was how 
 they should come off from the Pawaws. This was the strongest 
 cord that bound them; for the Pawaws, by their diabolical 
 sorceries, kept them in the most slavish fear and subjection to 
 them. There were about twelve at the meeting, who were halting 
 between two opinions, and others only came to see and hear what 
 was done : for though they had heard something of the one God 
 of Heaven, yet such was their unspeakable darkness and bondage 
 to sin and the Pawaws, that they durst not for fear desert them : 
 and though a few were better enlightened, yet the natives round 
 about stuck fast in their brutishness. The Sagamore Towanquatick 
 was exceedingly maligned by them, and in 1647 his life was villian- 
 ously attempted for his favoring the Christian religion; but his 
 great deliverance with the due reflection on the villany, rather 
 confirmed him in it; and inflamed him with the more active zeal 
 to espouse, and assert it, and the meeting went on to the joy of 
 some Indians, and the envy of the rest, who derided and scoffed 
 at those who attended the lecture, and blasphemed the God whom 
 they worshipped, which very much damped the spirits of some 
 for a time in his ways, and hindered others from looking towards 
 them. But Towanquatick and Hiacoomes were inspired with a 
 wonderful courage and constancy: and in the following year had 
 a general meeting of all that were inclined for Christianity, to 
 confirm and assist one another in their abiding by it. This 
 assembly was held in Mr. Mayhew's presence, and therein he tells 
 us, that twelve of the young men went and took Sacochanimo, 
 Towanquatick's eldest son by the hand, telling him they loved 
 him, and would go with him in God's way, and the elder men 
 encouraged them, and desired them never to forget these promises. 
 And so after they had eaten, and sang part of a psalm in their 
 own language, and Mr. Mayhew had prayed, they returned home 
 with expressions of great joy and thankfulness. The next year 
 there was a greater convention, wherein was a mixed multitude, 
 both of infidel and Christian Indians, and those who were in 
 doubt of Christianity; but Mr. Mayhew it seems, was not now 
 present. In this assembly the dreadful power of the Pawaws was 
 publicly debated, many asserting their power to hurt and kill, and 
 alleging numerous instances that were evident and undoubted among 
 them: and then some asking aloud, 'Who is there, that does not 
 fear them?' others replied :— 'There is not a man that does not' 
 Upon which Hiacoomes breaks forth, and boldly declares, that 
 
8o The Glacier's Gift 
 
 though the Pawaws might hurt those who feared them, yet he 
 beheved and trusted in the great God of Heaven and earth, and 
 therefore all the Pawaws together could do him no harm, and 
 he feared them not. At which they all exceedingly wondered, 
 and expected some dreadful thing to befall him; but observing 
 he remained unhurt, they began to esteem him happy in being 
 delivered from their terrible power. Several of the assembly 
 declared they now believed in the same God too, and would be 
 afraid of the Pawaws no more; and desired Hiacoomes to tell 
 them what this great God would have them to do, and what 
 were the things that offended him; He immediately fell to prayer 
 and preaching, and by a rare and happy invention, he readily dis- 
 covered and mentioned forty-five or fifty sorts of sins committed 
 among them, and as many contrary duties neglected; which so 
 amazed and touched their consciences, that at the end of the 
 meeting there were twenty-two Indians who resolved against those 
 evils, and to walk with God, and attend his word, among whom 
 was Momonequen, a son of one of the principal Indians, who 
 sometime after became a preacher, and of whom we may read in 
 the second example. And now in 1650, comes on the critical 
 point of the credit and power of the Pawaws among them ; for 
 Hiacoomes thus openly renouncing and protesting against the false 
 gods he had worshipped, with all the Pawawas and their familiar 
 ministers, and with an amazing courage, despising and defying 
 their power, the Pawaws were greatly enraged, and threatened his 
 utter destruction ; but to their own and their peoples surprise and 
 confusion were unable to hurt him. Mr. Mayhew improves the 
 advantage, and redoubles his diligence, is incessant in his pious 
 endeavor ; and now that many are in doubt of their way, he offers 
 to show them the right one; he spares not his body either by 
 day, or by night. He readily travels and lodges in their smoky 
 wigwams ; when he usually spends a great part of the night in 
 relating the ancient stories of God in the scriptures, which were 
 very surprising and entertaining to them, and in other discourse 
 which he conceives most proper. He proposes such things to 
 their consideration which he thinks firstly requisite ; he fairly solves 
 their subtle objections, and tells them they might plainly see, it 
 was purely in good will to them, from whom he could expect 
 no reward, that he spent so much time and pains, and endured 
 so much cold and wet, fatigue and trouble. But as God was pleased 
 to animate, uphold and preserve him, so also quickly to give a 
 growing success to his painful labors. For soon after, an Indian 
 
Tlie Dark Tenant of the Wild 81 
 
 standing up at the lecture, confessed his sins, declared his repen- 
 tance, and desire to forsake them and to go in God's way; and 
 then going to Towanquatick, took him by the hand, and in his 
 native simplicity, said, 'I love you, and do greatly desire to go 
 along with you for God's sake.' The same, he said to some others ; 
 and then coming to Mr. Mayhew, he said, : — 'I pray you to love 
 me, and I do love you, and desire to go with you, for God's sake ;' 
 upon which they received him with gladness of heart. After this, 
 there came five men more; and by the end of the summer, there 
 were thirty-nine Indian men of this meeting, who had not only 
 the knowledge of the main points of religion, and professed their 
 belief of them, but had also solemnly entered into a covenant to 
 live agreeably to them. Beside the well-instructed and believing 
 women, who were supposed to exceed the number of men, though 
 they had not yet entered the covenant, Mr. Mayhew's way in public 
 now is, by a lecture every fortnight, whereto both men, women 
 and children come ; and first he prays, then preaches, then cate- 
 chises, then sings a psalm, and all in their own language. After 
 the sermon, he generally spends more time than in the sermon itself, 
 in a more familiar reasoning with them. And every Saturday 
 morning, he confers with Hiacoomes more privately about his 
 subject matter of preaching to the natives on both parts of the 
 following day; Mr. Mayhew directing him in the choice of his 
 text, and in the management of it. About this time, viz, the end 
 of the summer, the Rev. Mr. Henry Whitfield, pastor of the church 
 at Guildford New England, in his voyage to Boston, in order to 
 his return to England, happened to put in at the Vineyard, and 
 to stay there ten days. There he tells us, he found a small plan- 
 tation, and an English church gathered, whereof this Mr. Mayhew 
 was pastor ; that he had attained a good understanding in the Indian 
 tongue, could speak it well, and had laid the first foundation of 
 the knowledge of Christ, among the natives there, by preaching, 
 etc. Mr. Whitfield attends Mr. Mayhew to a more private Indian 
 meeting, and the next day to the Indian lecture, where Mr. Mayhew 
 preached, and then catechised the Indian children who answered 
 readily and modestly in the principles of religion ; some of them 
 answering in English, and others in the Indian tongue; and then 
 Mr. Whitfield adds the following lines : — 'Thus having seen a short 
 model of his way, and of the pains he took, I made some inquiry 
 about Mr. Mayhew himself, and about his subsistence; because I 
 saw but a small and slender appearance of outward conveniences 
 of life in any comfortable way: The man himself was modest, 
 
82 The Glacier's Gift 
 
 and I could get little from him ; but after, I understood from others 
 how short things were with him, and how he was many times forced 
 to labor with his own hands, having a wife and three small children 
 who depended upon him to provide necessaries for them ; having 
 not half so much yearly coming in, in a settled way, as an ordinary 
 laborer gets there among them, yet he is cheerful amidst these 
 straits, and none hear him complain. The truth is, he will not 
 leave the work, in which his heart is engaged ; for on my knowl- 
 edge, if he would have left the work, and employed himself 
 otherwhere, he might have had a more competent and comfortable 
 maintenance. I mention this the rather, because I have some hope, 
 that some pious mind who reads this, might be inwardly moved 
 to consider his condition and come to his succor, for his encourage- 
 ment in this great work.' Thus Mr. Whitfield. But quickly after 
 he left Mr. Mayhew, there happened a thing which amazed the 
 whole Island, and turned to the great and speedy advancement of 
 Christian religion. For it pleased God, who had drawn the Indians 
 from the Pawaws to worship himself, whereat the Pawaws were 
 greatly oftended ; yet now to persuade even two of themselves 
 to run after those who sought him, and desire they might also 
 go with them in the ways of that God whose name is Jehovah. 
 They came very deeply convinced of the sins they had lived in, 
 and especially Pawawing; revealing the diabolical mysteries and 
 expressing the utmost repentance and detestation of them ; entreat- 
 ing that God would have mercy upon them, pardon their sins, 
 and teach them his ways, for Christ Jesus, His sake. And very 
 affecting it was to Mr. Mayhew and all who were present, 'to 
 see these poor naked sons of Adam, and slaves to the devil 
 from birth, to come towards the Lord as they did, with their 
 joints shaking and their bowels trembling; their spirits troubled, 
 and their voices with much fervency uttering words of sore dis- 
 pleasure against sin and Satan, which they had embraced from 
 their childhood, with great delight. And now accounting it also 
 their sin that they had not the knowledge of God, that they had 
 served the devil, the great enemy of both God and man, and had 
 been so hurtful in their lives; but j^et being thankful that through 
 the mercy of God they had an opportunity to be delivered out 
 of their dangerous condition.' The Christian Indians exceedingly 
 rejoiced to see the Pawaws begin to turn from their wicked ways 
 to the Lord ; and in a little time after, on a lecture day, at the 
 close of the exercise, there were several more of the natives who 
 expressed their desire to become the servants of the most high 
 
The Dark Tenant of the Wild 83 
 
 God, among whom was Tequanonim, another Pawaw of great 
 esteem, and very notorious. And now indeed both the common 
 Indians and the Pawaws themselves, began to observe and confess, 
 that since the gospel had been preached to them, the Pawaws had 
 been very much foiled in their diabolical essays ; and instead of 
 curing as formerly, they now had rather killed many. At the 
 same time there came pressing in about fifty Indians more in 
 one day, desiring to join with the worshippers of God in his 
 service, confessing their sins; some — those actual ones they had 
 lived in, and others — the naughtiness of their hearts: desiring to 
 be made better; and for this end, to attend on the word of God, 
 and looking only to Christ for salvation. And upon this occasion, 
 Mr. Mayhew observes, that they generally came in by families; 
 the parents also bringing their children with them, saying: — 'I 
 have brought my children too, I would have my children serve 
 God, with us, I desire that this son and this daughter may worship 
 Jehovah.' And if they could but speak, their parents would have 
 them say something to show their willingness to serve the Lord : 
 and when the Commandments were repeated, they all acknowledged 
 them to be good, and made choice of Jehovah to be their God, 
 promising by his help to walk according to his counsels. And 
 when they were received by those that were before in this general 
 Covenant, it was by loud voices, giving thanks to God that they 
 were met together in the ways of Jehovah. This was all before 
 the end of the year 1650. And by the midst of October 1651, 
 there were one hundred and ninety-nine men, women and children, 
 who had professed themselves to be worshippers of the great and 
 ever-living God. * * * * On January nth, 1651-62 Mr. Mayhew 
 set up a school to teach the natives to read, namely, the children 
 and any young men who were willing to learn, whereof they were 
 very glad : And as there quickly came in about thirty Indian 
 children, he found them apt to learn ; and more were coming in 
 every day. * * * * By the end of October 1652, there were two 
 hundred and eighty-two Indians, not counting young children 
 in the number, who were brought to renounce their false gods, 
 devils and Pawaws. * * * * The praying Indians, (as the Chris- 
 tianized Indians were commonly called,) being distinguished by 
 this pious exercise, were constant attenders on the public worship; 
 and even the barbarous Indians, both men and women, came often 
 to Mr. Mayhew's lectures, bewailing their ignorance, disliking their 
 sinful liberty, and seeking subjection to God, to be taught, governed 
 and saved by him, for Jesus Christ's sake. * * * * While he 
 
84 The Glacier's Gift 
 
 was laboring in this blessed work with indefatigable pains and 
 difficulties, expecting no reward but from Him who said : — 'Go 
 teach all nations. Lo, I am with you,' God was pleased to move 
 the hearts of many good people in England, who had heard of 
 the same, to advance a considerable sum, to encourage the propaga- 
 tion of the Gospel among the New England Indians. And having 
 seen so great a blessing on his painful labors, and seeing the spirit 
 given to sundry Indians, with the gift of prophesying according 
 to the promise made by Him who ascended on high, and gave 
 gifts to men; having also an able godly Englishman, named Peter 
 Foulger, employed in teaching the youth in reading, writing, and 
 the principles of religion by catechising; being well-learned like- 
 wise in the scriptures, and capable of helping them in religious 
 matters." 
 
 Mr. Prince now tells of the premature and tragic taking 
 away of this Mr. Mayhew, Jr., in the thirty-seventh year 
 of his age : 
 
 "He intended a short voyage to England, to give a more particular 
 account of the state of the Indians than he could well do by letters, 
 and to pursue the most proper measures for the further advance- 
 ment of religion among them. He accordingly took passage in a 
 ship, with his wife's own brother, and with an Indian who was 
 a preacher among the natives. But alas ! the mysterious ways of 
 Providence ! Neither the ship, nor any of the passengers, were ever 
 heard of more ! Thus came to an immature death, Mr. Mayhew, 
 junior; who was so affectionately loved and esteemed of the 
 Indians, that they could not easily bear his absence so far as 
 Boston, before they longed for his return ; and for many years 
 after his departure, he was seldom named, without tears." 
 
 In speaking of Mr. Mayhew, Sr., Mr. Prince says: 
 
 "While his son was with such success endeavoring to gospelize 
 the natives, the father greatly favored and encouraged the work. 
 and forwarded his son therein ; not only by affording his best 
 advice, but also by laboring in a most prudent manner, with the 
 Indian Sachems, to govern their people according to English laws, 
 and at length submit to the authority of the Crown of England, 
 and admit of such as were best qualified to assist them in govern- 
 ment : By affording them his own help also, and so Avisely managing 
 
The Dark Tenant of the Wild 85 
 
 aflfairs among them, that in a little while, he was most highly 
 esteemed and reverenced by them, and even generally looked upon 
 as both thir principal ruler and patron." 
 
 This Mr. Mayhew seems to have been a man of great 
 executive ability and possessed of much tact. He was at 
 all times ready to hear the complaints of the Indians, and 
 dispensed justice in the most impartial manner. Under 
 his guidance the sachems themselves were brought to see 
 the merit of the English government. In such high esteem 
 did the Indians hold his religious authority, that when he 
 had reached the advanced age of fourscore years they 
 desired him to become their regular pastor. This great 
 honor he was forced to decline, on account of his arduous 
 duties in the government. He proposed that the Indians 
 select from their own numbers two, who might act as 
 pastors and religious advisers. This plan was accepted 
 with much enthusiasm, and thereby Hiacoomes and Tacka- 
 nash were duly ordained and installed. Under the influence 
 of these Indian ministers many men, women and children 
 were baptized and brought into the church of God. Mr. 
 Mayhew was ever held in great reverence among them, 
 and the praying Indians of both Martha's Vineyard a!id 
 Nantucket looked upon him as "the great instrument of 
 God" for their good. Even at the advanced age of ninety- 
 three he gave them parting words of religious cheer. As 
 his hour to depart this life was near at hand he called his 
 grandson and great-grandson to his bedside, and laying his 
 hands on their heads, blessed them and commended them 
 to God's care ; thus his mantle passed to his descendants. 
 
 The Rev. John Mayhew, the youngest son of Thomas 
 Mayhew, Jr., now took up the work and was also much 
 beloved by the praying Indians. So great was his faith in 
 God that he expressed himself as having absolutely no fear 
 of death, believing that all would be well with him, when 
 
86 The Glacier's Gift 
 
 he should be called to depart hence. His final illness came 
 in 1688, or 1689, yet he continued to exhort his followers 
 and the members of his family to remain faithful to their 
 trust, holding meetings at his bedside until the third of 
 February, when he passed over the line at the extremely early 
 age of thirty-seven years. He left a family of eight 
 children, the eldest of whom being but sixteen years old. 
 On this son, Experience Mayhew, descended the mantle 
 of religious guardianship of the Indians. Some small idea 
 of the magnitude of his work is gained by quoting from 
 his own history of the experiences of the Indians, who 
 through his teaching became free from the pawaws and 
 other diabolical influences. In closing, it is most fitting 
 to quote from Mr. Prince once more : 
 
 "If I had leisure enough, and could think it a grateful thing to 
 the public, I should be inclined to draw up a complete and regular 
 history of the New England Indians, as far as it has come to our 
 knowledge from the very beginning; — But doubtless what has been 
 done above and before, will suffice. However, whether the world 
 be informed and convinced or not, let those who labor even in 
 the obscurest corners, still go on in their work, like their com- 
 panions, the angels, invisible to the eyes of mortals, and receiving 
 no personal praise or acknowledgment from them ; or like that 
 great and affecting example of Mr. Mayhew, the Third. And 
 the less honor they receive from men, in this life, they will doubtless 
 have the more from God in the other. — The day will certainly 
 come, when all their secret services to the Kingdom of Christ will 
 be produced with themselves into the most public sight; they'll 
 be applauded by him, the omniscient and most righteous judge 
 in the face of the Universe, and He'll most openly honor and 
 reward them with this, — 'Well done, good and faithful servant, 
 enter into the joj"^ of your Lord.' Their honors will subsist and 
 flourish universal forever, while the high but hollow applauses 
 of many others on earth will entirely sink and vanish in eternal 
 oblivion." 
 
 Coming back to the Nantucket Indians, be it said to 
 the everlasting reproach of the white settlers, that years 
 
Z 7-- 
 
 o 2 
 
 6 " 
 n - 
 
The Dark Tenant of the Wild 87 
 
 before any churches had been formed by the latter, pious 
 Indians, under the influence of the Mayhews, had organ- 
 ized churches for the natives. King PhiHp came to the 
 island in vengeful pursuit of an Indian with whom he v/as 
 angry. The crime for which Philip wished to punish him 
 was that of speaking the name of the dead, a thing strictly 
 forbidden by Indian custom. The whites sought to save 
 the offender, and offered as his ransom the sum of £11 
 sterling, all the money available at that time. This Indian, 
 John Gibbs, whose Indian name was Assassamoogh, was 
 educated in Harvard by the Mayhews and became a 
 preacher. The first public building erected in Nantucket 
 was a meetinghouse, for him to preach in to the Chris- 
 tianized Indians. In 1674 there was a church of thirty 
 members, of whom twenty were men, a somewhat different 
 state of affairs from that which exists among the modern 
 church societies. Three hundred Indians, young and old, 
 prayed to God and kept the Sabbath. For nearly twenty- 
 five years John Gibbs preached in the church of the 
 converted Indians. In 1674 there were three praying towns. 
 The children were all baptized, in spite of the opposition 
 of the Quakers and other English Anabaptists, who 
 attempted to prevent infant baptism among the Indians. 
 Of the three churches, one was Baptist and two Congre- 
 gational. The women were earnest workers, despite the 
 fact that the numbers were two to one in favor of the men. 
 The history of the red man is the same the world over. 
 Civilization sounds the knell of doom to this peculiar type 
 of humanity. The last full-blooded Indian on the island 
 was Dorcas Honorable. She was born April 2^, 1776. 
 Her father was Isaac Earop and her mother Sarah Tashima. 
 Dorcas lived for years as domestic in the family of John 
 Cartwright. In 1794 there were three wigwams on the 
 island, the last of which, belonging to Abigail Fisher, was 
 taken down in 1799. The last person on the island having 
 
88 The Glacier's Gift 
 
 Indian blood in his veins was Abram Quary, or Quady, 
 as he was sometimes called. He died November 25, 1854, 
 at the age of eighty-two years and ten months, and with 
 him passed the last of the tribe, the origin of which nothing 
 is definitely known. 
 
 "Sleep on, dark tenant of the wild, 
 Great nature owns her simple child." 
 
CHAPTER VIII 
 
 In the Olden, Golden Time 
 
 O say of the early settlers of the island that they 
 toiled not, neither did they spin, would be 
 unjust, as the records show conclusively that 
 milling was one of the earliest industries 
 engaged in. In fact there are evidences of 
 very crude and primitive mills having been in 
 use long before the advent of the white man. 
 This reference is made to the Indians' stone 
 mills, which consisted of two large stones, one of which fitted 
 into a cavity in the top of the other, and these rolling together 
 crushed the grain sufficiently fine for the Indians' require- 
 ments ; but one can easily see that these rude inventions would 
 seem most impracticable to the ingenious English. The first 
 mill built by the latter was a water mill and was erected in 
 1666 at Wesco Pond, now known as Lily Pond, at that 
 time a large lake covering some three acres. A ditch, of 
 sufficient width to allow small vessels to sail in and anchor, 
 conveyed water from the ocean, while the outlet was by 
 the way of Brant Point. A dam was constructed near 
 what is now known as Lily Street, which, giving way at 
 one time, caused considerable damage. In 1672 Peter 
 Folger was appointed by the town to operate the mill. 
 For some reason this one was abandoned and another, which 
 was run by wind power, erected in its place. Folger also 
 attended this one, receiving as pay two quarts to every 
 bushel of grain ground. This second mill was built by 
 William Bunker. 
 
 At one time there were four mills on what is now known 
 Mill Hills. These were formerly called Popsquatchet 
 
 as 
 Hills. 
 
 One of the island poets tells us that 
 
9° The Glacier's Gift 
 
 "In Squam lived Sachem Nickanoose, 
 And on Popsquatchet Hills 
 The famous Warrior Autopscot 
 Where stand our peaceful mills." 
 
 Frederick Macy erected the first of these mills in 1723, 
 constructing it after plans which came to him in his dreams. 
 The timbers were of live-oak, taken from trees that grew 
 in Dead Horse V^alley. The mill was in running order as 
 late as 1820. In 1836, having become unfit for use, it was 
 sold to the town, to be used as an experiment to prove 
 the practicability of blowing up buildings in case of fire. 
 A keg of gunpowder was placed beneath the foundation and 
 set off, totally destroying the building. This test proved 
 quite an event ; the children were dismissed from school 
 and the townspeople turned out in general to witness the 
 test. This mill stands on record as the "Barna Bunker 
 Mill." 
 
 The "Spider Mill" was built in 1759. This stood on 
 what is now a part of Prospect Hill Cemetery and received 
 its name from its peculiar construction. It had eight vanes, 
 with lines that stretched from pole to pole, presenting a 
 web-like appearance. It doesn't seem to have been a suc- 
 cess, as it was blown up to make room for the fence around 
 one part of the cemetery. Benjamin Whippey was miller 
 here at one time. 
 
 Another mill, situated on what was known as Brimstone 
 Hill, was built in 1770. It was known by various names, 
 such as "Red Mill," "Charles Bunker Mill," and the 
 "Abisha Paddock Mill." Prince Gardner was the last 
 owner and his son, Charles, tended it until 1867, when it 
 was destroyed by lightning. 
 
 The last mill built for the grinding of corn also bore 
 numerous titles. It was built in 1802 and was known at 
 that time as "Joe Chase's Mill." Eliphalet Paddock must 
 
In the Olden, Golden Time 91 
 
 have had some interest in it at one time, as it was called 
 by his name. Its most distinctive title and the one by 
 which it stands in history is that of "The Round Top 
 Grist Mill." It was distinguished from other mills by the 
 peculiar shape of the roof from which it received its name, 
 and by the absence of the heavy slanting tail that had been 
 considered most necessary for turning the top around in 
 order that the sails might fill from whatever direction the 
 wind came. A wheel some twelve feet in diameter was 
 attached to one side of the top, while through a groove 
 in this wheel an endless rope, which reached to the ground, 
 was run. When the vanes were set in motion this rope 
 was untied from the block to which it was fastened when 
 the mill was not in operation. So easily could the mill 
 be started that it took no more than a slight push by the 
 miller to get the vanes in motion. It is told that one time 
 an assistant, being alone in the mill, pulled down on the 
 wrong end of the endless rope, causing the vanes to revolve 
 so rapidly that the stones in the hopper became so heated 
 that there was danger of their igniting the timbers ; the 
 miller became much excited, left the place and ran into the 
 road screaming for help. A passerby ran up to the rope 
 and grasping it tightly, pulled in the right direction, stop- 
 ping the vanes before any damage was done. Captain 
 Joseph Chase operated the mill until 1832 and at his death, 
 which occurred in that year, his brother took possession. 
 It passed through numerous hands until Captain Frederick 
 Chase bought it of Captain John Pinkham. It was finally 
 taken down in 1873, one of the millstones being used as 
 a part of the foundation to the Soldiers' Monument in 
 Main Street, while the other is still in use in a blacksmith's 
 shop for putting tires on wagon wheels. The one in 
 question is five feet in diameter and is supposed to weigh 
 probably 3,800 pounds. The second stone weighed fully 
 as much, in all probability. One can easily understand the 
 
92 The Glacier s Gift 
 
 necessity for the extraordinary heavy timbers employed 
 in the construction of the early mills. 
 
 The sole surviving member of the quartette which once 
 occupied Mill Hills was built in 1746 by a Mr. Willson for 
 a Nantucket company, one-half for Eliakim Swain and one- 
 half to John Hay. Eliakim Swain died in 1750, leaving 
 his share of the mill to his son, Timothy, who bought Hay's 
 share and took charge of the mill and operated it for a 
 number of years, dying while on duty. It passed into 
 the hands of the Swain heirs, and in 1828, on account of 
 the extensive repairs needed, it was sold to Jared Gardner 
 for the small sum of $20.00, to be taken down and used 
 for fuel. Mr. Gardner, being a millwright himself, found 
 the timbers substantially made of oak and concluded to 
 make the repairs himself. He equipped it with vanes like 
 the "Spider Mill," but this did not prove to be a success. 
 It is said that during the War of the Revolution a cannon 
 ball from an English man-of-war passed through the mill, 
 closely grazing the miller's head; the mill being situated 
 as it was on high ground, made it an easy target for the 
 marine gunners. 
 
 A story is told of a young lady who, with a party of 
 friends, was watching the mighty vanes turn, took hold of 
 one as it passed her and was quickly carried up into the air. 
 The screams of her companions brought out the old miller 
 who, in his excitement, stopped the mill at once, thus throw- 
 ing the girl from the vane to the ground, giving her painful 
 though not fatal injuries. It might almost seem that the 
 thrilling scene in the recent play "The Red Mill," where 
 the heroine makes her escape by clinging to the ponderous 
 vanes, was taken from this incident. 
 
 A cow chanced to come in contact with one of the mighty 
 vanes and was instantly killed. 
 
 The Nantucket Inquirer and Mirror of February 16, 1834, 
 advertised 
 
J}i the Olden, Golden Time 93 
 
 "A mill for sale : The subscriber offers the mill called Eastern 
 Grain Mill, now occupied by him, for sale. Please call on Jared 
 Gardner." 
 
 Again, on June 23, 1840, it was advertised as follows: 
 "East Mill in good repair, will be sold, if applied for, on accom- 
 modation plan by subscriber, Jared Gardner." 
 
 It now became the property of one George Enos, who 
 retained it till 1864, when he sold it to Captain John Murray, 
 and he in turn sold it to John Francis Sylvia in 1866. It 
 seems that he was the last owner and miller. After his 
 death it was put up to be sold at auction. The bidding 
 was fast and furious, the successful bidder being Miss 
 C. L. W. French of Boston, who became possessor of this 
 interesting landmark for the sum of $850.00. Miss French, 
 feeling that by rights of tradition and sentiment it should 
 belong to the island, most generously presented it to the 
 Nantucket Historical Association, who take great pride in 
 keeping it in repair and exhibiting it to the summer people, 
 of whom several thousands are said to make a pilgrimage 
 to this relic of the past each year. 
 
 In 1834 there was a mill erected for the combined pur- 
 pose of grinding corn and sawing logs, also staves for oil 
 casks, etc. This one was operated by Simeon Starbuck 
 and Philip H. Folger. 
 
 In 1875 Thomas Field erected a windmill on his house 
 at North Liberty Street. The vanes were horizontal and 
 are said to have worked nicely in certain winds. 
 
 A clipping taken from a Nantucket paper bearing date 
 of March 18, 1865, under the caption of "The Tide 
 Turned," is of interest. 
 
 "We have been so accustomed of late years to chronicle the 
 removal of buildings from Nantucket, that we hardly know how 
 to commence a paragraph giving information of one being brought 
 here. Nevertheless we must make the record. An enterprising 
 Portugene has purchased a grist mill at South Yarmouth and 
 
94 The Glacier's Gift 
 
 brought it to the island. It will be erected on the hill in the lot 
 known as the Samuel Meador lot, just Southwest of the dwelling 
 house of the late Cyrus Hussey. This may be the beginning of 
 the returning prosperity to the island so long predicted, and as 
 such we welcome its arrival here." 
 
 It is sad to relate that so far as prosperity returning, 
 in the way of manufactories of any kind is concerned, 
 there doesn't seem to be any immediate prospect at least. 
 It is said that within the last century there were sufficient 
 cereals raised on the island to keep five mills in operation, 
 but at the present time there is very little grain raised. 
 
 Of all the mills erected in Nantucket none are so inter- 
 esting as the fulling mills of early date. The first one 
 as erected at Wesco (now Lily) Pond, in 1666. This was 
 destroyed by the dam giving way. Another one was built 
 in its place in 1722. An incident is related "respecting 
 the valley or gulley that leads from the Lily Pond" and 
 is quite apropos at this place and serves to illustrate the 
 serious consequences resulting often from very trivial acts: 
 
 "Love Swain, wife of George (maiden name Paddock), when 
 about eleven years of age, left the Jabez Bunker house, which stood 
 on the spot where James Athearn's house stands, to go home 
 to her father, who lived on the north side of the Lily Pond. 
 She saw that the pond was very high, it being about sunset. 
 There being no person passing at the time, she took a shell and 
 dug a little gutter, to see the water run. Childlike, she thought 
 no harm would come of it. 
 
 It was a rising spot of land. There was a fort there, to guard 
 against the Indians, in case of an attack, for sometimes they 
 would threaten. It being Gardner's land, it was called Gardner's 
 island. 
 
 After digging the gutter, to form a running stream that she 
 might step across, she went home. She did not mention the 
 circumstance before she went to bed. In the morning she was 
 aroused by an outcry from her father. She lay and listened. He 
 looked from the window and said to his wife, 'Oh, what a wicked 
 work is here!' 'What is it?' his wife asked. He replied, 'Some 
 evil-minded person has let the Lily Pond out. It has washed away 
 
/// the Olden, Golden Time 95 
 
 the sand and made a great gulley. The fulling mill is gone and 
 the fences are torn up. Several small vessels, which lay in the 
 creek, have met with damage. Some boats are stove to pieces, and a 
 great deal of damage is done beside.' 
 
 The little girl lay still, hearing this talk. She was greatly alarmed, 
 for well she knew that she was the author of it all. She quivered 
 and shook, almost to an ague fit. She reflected on it, and decided 
 not to tell anyone about it. It remained a profound secret until 
 she was eighty years old, near the close of life. Then she sent 
 for some of her neighbors and related this occurrence, which had 
 taken place seventy years before." 
 
 A second fulling mill was erected at Mill Brook at the 
 north end of Hummock Pond, at the west end of the 
 island, in 1683. 
 
 In 1741 Tristram Starbuck and Zaccheus Macy con- 
 structed a fulling mill. 
 
 In 1 66 1 Richard and John Gardner built a tide mill at 
 the east end of Mill Brook. In 1673 they were employed 
 by the town to build a fulling mill at Podpis (now Polpis). 
 and in 1717 "Benjamin Swain was granted a stream of 
 water to set up a fulling mill," but it seems that he failed 
 to comply with the terms of the contract. A similar con- 
 tract was awarded to Sylvanus Hussey and Stephen Coffin, 
 Jr., in 1 72 1 and another to "Hussey (alone) so long as 
 he shall maintain dam and supply town's deeds." 
 
 In 1746 a contract was made with John Swain "and the 
 town polled fifty pounds to erect this mill." 
 
 A mill was built at Podpis Neck in 1763 and the town 
 allowed John Swain the privilege of removing it to set 
 it up near one which was in use in 1786, providing he 
 would put them both in good repair at his own expense, 
 for which he was to be allowed the use of them for seven 
 years. Some histories have it that the last fulling mill 
 was situated at Podpis Neck, but from good authority it 
 is stated that the last one was moved from there to Podpis 
 in 1786. The last one on record was one erected in Shaw- 
 
96 The Glacier's Gift 
 
 keemo in 1770 and was in existence as late as 1828 or 
 1830. A description of the working of the fulHng mills 
 may be of interest to the younger generation, to whom 
 the word is an empty name only. The following descrip- 
 tions were given by those who remember well the appear- 
 ance and purpose of these once numerous mills. 
 
 In the early days there were many sheep raised on the 
 island and from the wool cloth was manufactured on hand 
 looms in the home. The cloth intended for men's wear 
 was often four feet wide and very loosely woven. The 
 next step in the process of manufacture would be to shrink 
 the cloth to the width of a yard and this was done in the 
 fulling mills, the following description being given by a 
 woman who was employed in the mills on the mainland : 
 
 "A bolt of cloth, say thirty yards long, was put into the fulling 
 box and given a bath of soda, ash and soft soap. A belt was 
 connected with the wooden pulley on the main shaft and the two 
 fullers started a back and forward motion alternately, causing 
 the cloth to turn over constantly. The fullers were made of hard 
 pine about 2I/2 feet long, 2 feet high and one foot wide. The 
 fulling room was 15 X 20 feet. In some mills there were large 
 boxes with inlet and outlet of water for scouring the wool and 
 also two large vats in brick work for dyeing wool. There was a 
 large frame with a screw where a bolt of cloth was put in press. 
 The legs of the fullers were perhaps ten feet tall. To get a shine 
 on cloth made here they used to weave it pretty rough and shaggy 
 in the looms, then sheared it in a machine, then into a heavy frame 
 with heated iron plates between every few payers, then the mass 
 of folds and iron plates, which were 2^ feet by i foot and 
 Yz inch thick, were screwed down with a powerful screw with a 
 bar or fulcrum, 8 feet long. The iron wheel turned partially in 
 a trough or depression in the floor, as its diameter was double 
 that of its wooden companion." 
 
 Another description follows: 
 
 "When the cloth was taken from the fullers all steaming it was 
 folded over a large wooden peg attached to the fulling mill box, 
 then it was carried out and hooked on the fainter bars, which were 
 
In the Olden, Golden Time 97 
 
 built along the side of a lane near the mills, so it could dry- 
 without wrinkles. When dry it was brought in and put in a 
 shear, a machine with a long twisted knife, that took off all the 
 fuzz and long wool or hair, then it was taken from that and put 
 in a napper, a machine with a long brush, which brushed the nap 
 on the cloth all one way. When taken from this it was put on 
 a bench and folded with thick paper square mats the width of 
 the cloth, then put into a press and screwed down as tightly as 
 possible, left there two or three days, then taken out and folded 
 over flat smooth boards, when it was ready for sale." 
 
 In speaking of the manufacturing of cloth in those early 
 days it has been said that 
 
 "the fulling mills of the old days were of necessity crude, yet 
 from the results of their work it would appear that they did 
 their work well. The working parts were simple, consisting of 
 large wooden pestles moved by wind or water, as best served. 
 The pestles worked up and down in a wooden trough, into which 
 the cloth to be fulled or shrunk was put, together with water, 
 sometimes soap, fuller's earth or other substance that served 
 in those days to cleanse. The cloth immersed was worked and 
 pounded for about two days and then dried, often being passed 
 between large wooden rollers, which served to straighten and 
 smooth it. This process rendered the cloth thicker, firmer and 
 warmer, enhanced its wearing qualities and in the heavy weaves 
 made it almost felt-like." 
 
 Most of the mills could be run by either wind or water 
 power. There was a dam and sluice-way which carried 
 the water into the wheel, in connection with the mill. The 
 water wheel had a large shaft and at one end there was 
 a wooden pulley connecting the mill with a bolt about 
 fifteen feet long, while the mill itself would add about 
 five feet. 
 
 There was a spare room at the rear of the mill and 
 all around, except next to the dam, thus making a building 
 some twenty-five feet square, backed up to a milldam and 
 floor several feet below the level of said dam. There was 
 no style to the architecture of a fulling mill. They were 
 
98 The Glacier's Gift 
 
 simply barnlike structures, while the size of the dam would 
 be governed by the size of the pond, but none of these 
 artificial ponds were large. In some cases the dams were 
 thrown across a bank where there was a slight fall of 
 water, usually in a swampy place, and frequently a dyke 
 was constructed partially around the pond, to retain the 
 water, though in most cases the natural banks were suf- 
 ficient. In short, the outside appearance of the old time 
 fulling mills were not greatly unlike the water power cot- 
 ton mills to be found throughout all parts of New England 
 at the present time. 
 
 That the Nantucketers of the early days were busy 
 people is shown by the fact that aside from the manufactur- 
 ing of cloth, many other industries were carried on. At 
 one time there was a rum distillery on the island, also 
 brick kilns, one being located on Gull Island, back of Wesco 
 (now Lily) Pond, another out by Water-comet, and one 
 at the south part of the town, called the "Clay Pits," 
 near "Goose Pond." There was also a brush factory 
 located on Gay Street, where the High School now stands. 
 All sorts of brushes were manufactured here from a tooth- 
 brush to a long-handled broom. There were also candle 
 factories, where candles were manufactured from the 
 blubber of the whales, three hundred and eighty tons of 
 candles, six candles to the pound, making a total of 
 4,560,000, being the annual output of this commodity. 
 
 In the whaling days shipbuilding was' quite an important 
 industry, the yards being located on Brant Point. There 
 were also a boot and shoe shop, a straw factory, which 
 employed a number of young women, and another where 
 mittens, stockings and various other useful articles were 
 made. 
 
 Perhaps the most important manufactories were those 
 known as "rope walks," for the making of whale lines and 
 ropes of all kinds, from the size of twine to the heavy four- 
 
In the Olden, Golden Time 99 
 
 strand ship's hawser. At one time there were ten of these 
 rope factories in operation on the island. A brief descrip- 
 tion may not prove uninteresting. The rope walks were 
 generally about four hundred feet in length and twelve feet 
 wide. One end was only one story in height, containing 
 several sliding shutters which were used in place of window 
 blinds. The other section was two stories high, for the 
 accommodation of the steam engine and large fly wheel. 
 The length of the lines was sometimes sixty fathoms. In 
 the process of rope-making, first, of course, was the spinning 
 of the thread, which was made into a hank and this in turn 
 was reeled on spools. These were placed up above on 
 larger spools, some being two feet in length. In front of 
 this rack was an iron plate filled with small holes and in 
 front of the rack was a thirty-inch tube through which the 
 strands passed. For an ordinary rope three strands were 
 used, while for a ship's hawser four strands were necessary. 
 Each strand of thread or yam came from separate spools, 
 passing into the perforated iron plates, thence through the 
 tube, which twisted them together, forming the rope. A 
 track, resembling that of a railroad, was laid the entire 
 length of the inside of the building. On this track ran a 
 machine which was employed in making the large hawsers 
 for whale ships. The machine, having a rotary motion, 
 caught up the strands as they passed through the tube, twist- 
 ing them around a block of wood having three grooves, 
 broad at one end and pointed at the other. 
 
 The hemp was stored in the second story, where it was 
 carded. It was first whipped or flailed with a heavy block 
 of wood which contained several pointed steel prongs, some- 
 thing like the fingers of a hand. The hemp being in layers, 
 it was thrown forward, then back, as in carding wool. 
 The Russian hemp was of dark color and was, therefore, 
 used for tarred ropes, yarns backstays or block straps. 
 Manila hemp was of light color and used for ship's sails, 
 
loo The Glacier's Gift 
 
 whale lines, etc. Whale lines were made of hemp selected 
 for its strength. In fact, everything in the shape of rope, 
 standing riggings, whale and tow lines, were manufactured 
 in the rope walks. In the very early times, before the use 
 of engines, the fly wheel was turned by hand. At what 
 was known as the "Deacon Riddle Rope Walk," John 
 Addington was foreman and Edwin James was engineer. 
 
 A rope-maker's wage for sixteen hours a day was $i.oo 
 and was said to have been the first money paid for labor 
 in Nantucket. 
 
 From the town records it is learned that on April 9, 1777, 
 it was voted "That Benjamin Folger and Francis Joy may 
 have the liberty to set Salt Works on Brant Point for twenty 
 years, they paying a premium of one bushel of salt to the 
 Proprietery for every one hundred bushels of salt by them 
 made, they not improving more than two acres." It seems 
 however, that this venture was not altogether successful, 
 as the moisture incident to the heavy fogs, which were prev- 
 alent in the summer, prevented as speedy evaporation as 
 the business required. 
 
 The following notice was published May i, 181 5 : 
 
 "We, the subscribers, have taken the woolen factory belonging 
 to Obed Mitchell adjoining New North Wharf, and inform our 
 friends and the public, that we are well informed in the manufac- 
 ture of wool and that we expect to devote ourselves to the carding 
 of wool and dressing cloth for the public; we shall give strict 
 attention to our employees and perform the business with dis- 
 patch, as the regular stock of the factory will be subordinate to our 
 customers, and we hope to perform in order, which will merit 
 future favors of our employers. 
 
 "Francis & Burdick." 
 
 The industry that made Nantucket famous was the whale 
 fishery, which began in the year 1690 in the very simple 
 style of fishing from boats just ofif shore. A recent writer 
 tells, in a most facetious manner, that in early times a whale 
 squirted oil into the air and the natives caught it as it 
 
In the Olden, Golden Time loi 
 
 descended, and that the whales were so tame that "they 
 would come up to the shore and eat ginger snaps from the 
 open hand." Although this is a somewhat overdrawn state- 
 ment of affairs, yet the early records tell that the whales 
 were so numerous close into shore that they attracted the 
 attention of the settlers and, as none of them were seafaring 
 men, they went to Cape Cod to procure the services of 
 Ichabod Paddock for the purpose of teaching the islanders 
 the art of whaHng. 
 
 At first the shore was divided into districts or beats, of 
 which there were four, and each of these was patrolled by 
 six men, while the business was carried on in common. 
 The first ship, the sloop Mary, twenty-five tons burden, was 
 built in Boston in 1694 and was bought by Richard Gard- 
 ner and his partners in Nantucket in 1698. At first the 
 crews of the whaling craft were the owners, but as business 
 increased and the boats assumed larger proportions, both 
 white men and Indians were employed. In the matter of 
 payment the "lay" system was employed, each man being 
 paid according to his ability. Even the apprentice had his 
 share, thus making each feel his responsibility, "instead of 
 sharpening the wits by the use of the cat, so prevalent among 
 European sailors." 
 
 The first trust, or combine, was thus formed at this time. 
 The whale fishermen soon had a corner on the whole indus- 
 try, from boat-building to the cooperage. The workmen 
 in all departments were stockholders and received a share 
 in the proceeds in proportion to what each one had supplied. 
 The industry increased so rapidly that in 1712 there were 
 five sloops owned by the islanders and two years later the 
 number had increased to nine, of which six were deep-sea 
 going craft. In 1715 six hundred barrels of oil and eleven 
 thousand pounds of bone were brought in, amounting to 
 £1,100. By 1730 there were twenty-five whalers hailing 
 from Nantucket, which brought into port oil and bone to the 
 
I02 The Glacier's Gift 
 
 amount of £3,200. From coast fishing the Nantucket whalers 
 became traders in foreign ports, and in fact were known as 
 ship-owners and merchants over the whole business world. 
 It was no boy's play to capture the leviathans, as great dex- 
 terity was necessary in throwing the harpoon, for should 
 there be a miss, with one lash of the mighty tail the boat 
 would be crushed like an eggshell and the occupants, per- 
 haps, drowned. A system of awards for efificient service 
 was in vogue, pegs being given as medals. Very proud, 
 indeed, was the young sailor who could display the largest 
 number of pegs on his arrival home from a long cruise, and 
 he was the envy of his less fortunate shipmates when, on 
 attending a party or other public entertainment, the girls 
 of the town lavished their best attentions on this hero of 
 the briny deep. It has been said that the girls of Nantucket 
 pledged themselves to marry no man until he had struck 
 his whale. 
 
 Leaving the home waters, the whalers cruised along the 
 Gulf Stream, south to the Hatteras Grounds and on to the 
 coast of Cuba. Turning about, they cruised north and east 
 to the banks of Newfoundland and even to the Azores and 
 Madeira Islands. In the year 1712 Captain Chris. Hussey, 
 probably a son of one of the original purchasers, while in 
 command of an open boat, was blown away to sea. All 
 hands labored with all their strength to reach land, but this 
 they failed to do. As they were drifting on the open sea, 
 through the perils of a winter's storm, a school of sperm 
 whales suddenly appeared. These men had seen but one 
 whale of this variety, it having floated ashore dead. This 
 find spelled bonanza, for sperm taken from the cavity in 
 the head was considered of great medicinal value, being 
 a sure cure for a great many diseases and having a market 
 value of eight shillings an ounce. So elated were the storm- 
 tossed mariners at their find that, defying the spume-crested 
 waves and biting cold, they set chase and having killed a 
 whale, the oil oozing from its carcass smoothed the sea and 
 
In the Olden, Golden Time 
 
 103 
 
 they rode out the gale in safety. This was the first sperm 
 whale killed by Nantucketers. 
 
 The following table will give some idea of the rapid pro- 
 gress of the whale fishery in Nantucket. This industry 
 originated in 1690 in boats from the shore. 
 
 1 715 — 6 sloops of 2Z tons burden, obtained about 600 bbls. of oil 
 
 and 11,000 lbs. bone, equal to i 1,100. 
 1730 — 25 sail, from 38 to 50 tons, obtained annually about 3,700 
 
 bbls., at £7 equal to £3,200. 
 1748 — 60 sail, from 50 to 75 tons, obtained 11,250 bbls., at £14 
 
 equal to £19,634. 
 1756 — 80 sail, 75 tons, obtained 12,000 bbls., at £18 equal to £27,600. 
 1768 — 70 sail, 75 tons, obtained 10,500 bbls., at £18 equal to £23,600. 
 N. B. Ten sails were lost, part of which were taken by the 
 French and the others foundered. 
 1770 — 120 sail, from 75 to no tons, 18,000 bbls., at £40 equal to 
 
 £100,000. 
 From 1772 to 1775 — 150 sail, from 90 to 180 tons, upon coast of 
 
 Guinea, Brazil and West Indies, obtained annually 30,000 bbls., 
 
 which sold in the London market at £44 to £45, equal to 
 
 £167,000. 
 2,200 seamen employed in the fishery and 220 in London trade. 
 
 The following is a list showing the number of whales 
 caught ofif the shore around Nantucket in the spring of 
 1726 and the names of the captains: 
 
 John Swain 4 
 
 Andrew Gardner 4 
 
 Jonathan Coffin 4 
 
 Paul Starbuck 4 
 
 James Johnstone 5 
 
 Clothier Pierce 3 
 
 Sylvanus Hussey 2 
 
 Nathan Coffin 4 
 
 Peter Gardner 4 
 
 William Gardner 2 
 
 Abisha Folger 6 
 
 Nathaniel Folger 4 
 
 John Bunker i 
 
 Shubael Folger 5 
 
 Shubael Coffin 3 
 
 Nathaniel Allen 3 
 
 Edward Heath 4 
 
 George Hussey 3 
 
 Benjamin Gardner 3 
 
 George Coffin i 
 
 Richard Coffin i 
 
 Nathaniel Paddock 2 
 
 Joseph Gardner i 
 
 Matthew Jenkins 3 
 
 Bartlett Coffin 4 
 
 Daniel Gould i 
 
 Ebenezer Gardner 4 
 
 Staples I 
 
 86 
 
I04 The Glacier's Gift 
 
 By 1746 whaling had concentrated in Nantucket, 10,000 
 bbls. of oil being sent from there to Boston. Only three 
 or four whales were caught off Cape Cod. The vessels 
 were much enlarged by this time and were being fitted out 
 to sail in foreign waters, going such distances that often 
 four years would be spent on one voyage. Many sailed 
 away from port with light hearts and keen anticipation, 
 never to return, and while the widows left were sometimes 
 inconsolable, it is worthy of note that one in particular saw 
 fit to change her lonely condition and sought aid of the 
 Legislature in her straits. Through the courtesy of one 
 of Nantucket's ex-representatives, this incident is submitted : 
 
 '"1724, November 24th, Petition of Dinah Coffin, of Nantucket, 
 setting forth that her husband, Elisha Coffin, did on the 27th day 
 of April, Anno Domini, 1722, sail from said island of Nantucket 
 in a sloop, on a whaling trip, intending to return in a month or 
 six weeks at most, and instantly a hard and dismal storm fol- 
 lowed, which in all probability swallowed him and those with him 
 up, for they were never since heard of. And your petitioner is 
 by an act of this province hindered and restrained from marriage 
 and thereby labors under the necessities of widowhood. Now, the 
 prayer of your petitioner is that you graciously please to so far 
 mitigate ye severity of that act that she may thereby alter her 
 meaner circumstances.' (Note: Dinah Coffin was the daughter of 
 Peleg Bunker and at this time a blooming widow of 19, who some 
 three years previous had married Elisha Coffin, son of James. 
 Her elder sister, Priscilla, at or about the same time, married his 
 younger brother, Joshua, and both bridegrooms sailed shortly after- 
 ward on the ill-fated sloop which was never heard from. The 
 General Court promptly granted Dinah's petition and in one short 
 month she laid aside the weeds of widowhood and altered her 
 meaner circumstances by becoming the bride of James Williams. 
 Priscilla subsequently married her cousin, Caleb Bunker, and 
 became the ancestor of numerous descendants.)" 
 
 That Nantucket had her part in events leading up to the 
 Revolution is shown by the fact that two of the whale ships 
 sailing to Uondon with cargoes of oil were engaged on their 
 
In the Olden, Golden Time 105 
 
 return trip to carry tea to Boston. Upon arriving there 
 they were greatly surprised at finding themselves to be 
 guests of honor at the famous "Tea Party," the cargoes 
 being promptly dispatched into the water. 
 
 The first American whaling fleet to cross the Equator 
 sailed under the leadership of Captain Uriah Bunker of 
 Nantucket. This voyage resulted in the discovery of the 
 "Brazil Banks" and the seal rookeries off Cape Horn. 
 
 During the Revolutionary War Nantucket carried on the 
 whaling trade, being the only port in America to do so at 
 this particular period ; but owing to the loss of many of her 
 vessels the industry declined. At the beginning of the war 
 the island could boast of more than one hundred and fifty 
 vessels, while at the close there remained but three or four 
 shattered hulks. There were two hundred and two widows 
 and two hundred and forty-two fatherless children. From 
 this account one can see how severely Nantucket suffered 
 during those troublous times. Although she was declared 
 neutral, she did not adhere strictly to that position, thereby 
 forfeiting the protection from the Tory commanders she 
 might otherwise have demanded. Lying, as the island did, 
 directly in the track of British cruisers, many of the whalers 
 returning from far-ofif waters were captured and their crews 
 sent to the prison ships, which were more to be dreaded than 
 death. Others perished at sea in consequence of venturing 
 in vessels made light with a view to fast sailing. 
 
 In 1 78 1 a slight revival in the whale fishery was experi- 
 enced. Admiral Digby, a British commander, gave Nan- 
 tucket permits for twenty-four vessels to pursue whale fish- 
 ing. Several of these vessels were captured by American 
 privateers, but were invariably released in port. Nantucket 
 petitioned to the state of Massachusetts in 1782 to confirm 
 these privileges by legislation. This petition was under 
 consideration when the news of peace arrived in 1783. 
 Nantucket had been greatly depressed and this privilege had 
 
io6 The Glacier's Gift 
 
 the effect of stimulating business activities. The resources 
 of the island having been so depleted, it was with diffi- 
 culty that the few vessels were fitted out under the permits. 
 In 1784 the ship Bedford, Captain Mooers of Nantucket, 
 had the honor of being the first vessel to carry the new 
 flag of thirteen stripes to a British port. 
 
 In 1785 it was considered necessary by Massachusetts to 
 give bounties for the encouragement of the fishery, £5 per 
 ton for white sperm oil, £3 for yellow and £2 for whale 
 oil being offered. The first effect was propitious. Pro- 
 visions had fallen in price so that outfits could be made 
 economically, but the usual results from bounty-fed busi- 
 ness followed in this instance. Many new parties having 
 entered the pursuit, the increased quantity of oil found an 
 unwilling market. Long privations had taught the people 
 to avoid expensive oil and to make their own tallow light 
 their homes. Even the lighthouses used substitutes for oil. 
 Under these conditions crude sperm oil in 1786 fell to £24 
 per ton and head matter to £45 a ton. About the year 1788 
 there was an increase in the number of lighthouses and 
 they were returning to their old system of lighting by sperm 
 oil. This demand helped to raise prices. On the other 
 hand, the catch of right whales had increased so much in 
 the far-away seas that the market could not absorb the 
 whalebone. One dollar per pound was a common price 
 before the war and it now brought only ten cents. Nan- 
 tucket was now fitting out as many vessels as her people 
 could man for the chase. The Nantucket men were stim- 
 ulated by the example of the China merchants, who were 
 trading in the Pacific on the northwestern coast of America. 
 A vessel had been fitted out in England during the war 
 and manned by a Nantucket crew for the pursuit of whales 
 in the Pacific. In 1789 the Ranger, Swain, master, returned 
 to Nantucket from the Pacific with 1,000 bbls. of whale oil. 
 Captain Swain thought no vessel would obtain so large a 
 
In the Olden, Golden Time 107 
 
 cargo again, but in 1854 the Three Brothers brought 6,000 
 bbls. whale oil, 179 bbls. sperm oil and 31,000 lbs. of bone 
 into Nantucket. 
 
 In 1 79 1 The Beaver, of 240 tons burden, Captain Worth, 
 was regularly fitted and sailed from Nantucket to the 
 Pacific. Her cost with outfit was $10,212. She carried 
 seventeen men and could man three boats with five men 
 each ; there were generally two blacks, either Indians or 
 negroes, included in each boat's crew. When in actual 
 pursuit of the fish two men remained as keepers of the ship. 
 In her cargo she carried 400 bbls. with iron hoops and about 
 1,400 bbls. with wooden hoops; 40 bbls. salt provisions, 3^^ 
 tons bread, 30 bushels beans and peas, 1,000 pounds of rice, 
 40 gals, molasses, 24 bbls. flour. These provisions lasted 
 them her voyage, with the addition of 200 pounds of bread. 
 It was known as the first voyage from Nantucket to the 
 Pacific. After seventeen months' cruising she brought 
 home 650 bbls. sperm oil worth £30 per ton, 370 bbls. 
 head matter w^orth £60 per ton and 250 bbls. whale oil worth 
 £15 per ton. Captain Worth gave an account of five vessels 
 in the Pacific in February, 1793. 
 
 Whaling now extending to the Pacific Ocean, the western 
 coast of South America was found to be a profitable resort, 
 the ship Washington, Captain Cofiin, having the distinction 
 of being the first to hoist the "American flag in a Spanish 
 Pacific port." In the early autumn of 1793 the Union left 
 Nantucket, returning within a year with a prize cargo of 
 over 1,200 barrels of oil. The Pacific abounded in sperm 
 whales, of which the greater part of the cargoes consisted, 
 although it was customary for the whalers, after rounding 
 Cape Horn on the homeward voyage, to finish out the cargo 
 with the less valuable oil of the right whale. Some of these 
 voyages consumed only two years or less. 
 
 Another setback to the industry was caused by the War 
 of 1812. At this time nearly all the Nantucket whalers 
 
io8 The Glacier's Gift 
 
 were off on voyages, but, hearing of the trouble, many of 
 them returned to the island, while others put in at New Bed- 
 ford and Boston. A number were captured by British 
 cruisers, while those remaining in the Pacific fell a prey to 
 the Peruvians, who laid claim to being allies of England till 
 Captain David Porter, who afterwards was made admiral 
 in command of the frigate Essex, succeeded in ridding the 
 Pacific of both English and Peruvians. 
 
 At the outbreak of the hostilities Nantucket had a whal- 
 ing fleet numbering forty-six, but during the war she lost 
 half of these, yet so energetic and tenacious were these enter- 
 prising islanders that in 1820 they could boast of a fleet of 
 seventy-two ships, aside from a number of smaller craft, 
 such as sloops and brigs. Between this date and 1830 Nan- 
 tucket enjoyed the height of her prosperity. Godfrey says 
 of this period that 
 
 "This town was third commercial town in the Commonwealth, — 
 Boston, Salem, Nantucket. There were great congregations in the 
 churches; then solid men sat in the pews on Sundays and Nan- 
 tucket churches were built out of full pockets as well as full 
 hearts. The Unitarians, had they been so minded, were rich enough 
 to build their church of mahogany and gild it all over." 
 
 Soon after this date a decline set in, and although for 
 some years Nantucket returned her quota of whaling vessels, 
 yet New Bedford superseded her as a whaling port. Then 
 followed the introduction of lard oil and the discovery of 
 petroleum; the supply of oils was greatly in excess of the 
 demands. A great fire, which destroyed a million dollars 
 worth of property, occurred in 1846 and finally the depletion 
 of the male population, owing to the exodus to California in 
 1849, resulted in the complete suspension of this once famous 
 industry. 
 
 In 1869 the last whale ship sailed out of port and with 
 her departure the many industries incident to the whale 
 fisheries gradually declined and the wharf, which had long 
 
In the Olden, Golden Time 109 
 
 been the center of activity, became silent save for the sound 
 of the restless waves which lapped ceaslessly against its 
 foundations. And of that great fleet, whose sails had flown 
 before the breezes of many seas and whose prows had 
 touched at every port in the commercial world, there 
 remained but the one, and of her it might well be said : 
 
 "Then fell her straining topmasts, 
 
 Hanging tangled in the shrouds, 
 And her sails were loosened and lifted 
 
 And blown away like clouds. 
 And the masts, with all their rigging, 
 
 Fell slowly, one by one, 
 And the hulk dilated and vanished 
 
 As a sea-mist in the sun !" 
 
CHAPTER IX 
 
 The Lights Far Out at Sea 
 
 EING, as we believe, predestined to become 
 the guardian at the gateway of New England 
 coast traffic, Nantucket must needs throw her 
 lights far out over the waters. For this she 
 is well equipped at the present, there being 
 four lighthouses on the island proper and one 
 at the extreme point of Coatue, known as the 
 "Great Point Light." The history of the dif- 
 ferent means employed to signal venturesome mariners 
 from the earliest times is of much interest and worthy of 
 note. 
 
 The first beacons were primitive in the extreme, being 
 nothing more than bonfires set on a hogshead at Brant 
 Point. This was as early as 1700. An improvement over 
 the bonfire method was that of setting a lantern on a 
 hogshead, while later some inventive genius suggested the 
 lanterns being hoisted on the end of a pole. 
 
 The first lighthouse of which there is any record was 
 that built at the Point in 1735. This was maintained by 
 the merchants of the then town of Sherburne. The house 
 was of wood and burned down soon after its completion. 
 In 1746 the town meeting voted that 
 
 "The town build a lighthouse at Brant Point; and that Abijah 
 Folger, Zaccheus Macy and Richard Mitchell be a committee to get 
 a lighthouse built at Brant Point and carry on that affair till the 
 lighthouse be completed. Voted, that the aforesaid committee build 
 such a lighthouse as stood heretofore, that was lately burned down." 
 
 This one stood until 1758 or 1759, when it was burned, 
 the fire originating from the lamps in the building. 
 Another house was built immediately after and this one 
 
The Lights Far Out at Sea iii 
 
 stood until blown down during a heavy gale in 1774. From 
 the records the following is taken : 
 
 "1774, June 17 — Whereas, the inhabitants of the island of Nan- 
 tucket have at their own cost at different times erected three light- 
 houses upon Brant Point; the first was destroyed by fire, the second 
 by a violent gust of wind, the third now standing and absolutely 
 necessary, but the burthen of maintaining ought in equity to be 
 borne by the vessels receiving the advantage thereof. — Ordered that 
 from and after the first day of August, 1774, all vessels of fifteen 
 tons and upward coming in or going out by said lighthouse shall 
 pay the sum of six shillings to the impost officer at the time of first 
 going in or coming out and no further sum to be demanded of said 
 vessel for the space of twelve months, the impost officers to pay the 
 same to the selectmen of Sherburne to be applied for the main- 
 tenance of said light." 
 
 This house was also burnt in the fall of 1783, the loss 
 being estimated at $1,000. 
 
 The first lights were maintained by the merchants and 
 shipowners, but later the town took possession and on 
 June 23, 1795, Brant Point and lighthouse were ceded to 
 the United States. It was not until 1856, however, that the 
 present light was built. It is composed of brick and stone 
 and contains a fixed light of the fourth order. It was in 
 use until 1900, when a smaller wooden structure was 
 erected down on the Point, as, after the jetties were con- 
 structed, the old light was found to be out of range for 
 the boats in the harbor. The first lighthouse is said to 
 be in such a perfect state of preservation that should the 
 time ever come that it should be used again, there will 
 be very few repairs needed. 
 
 The most important light on the island is that situated 
 on Sankaty Head, on the outside of Nantucket, about a 
 mile distant from Siasconsett. This house in composed of 
 brick and stone and is seventy-five feet in height. It is 
 fitted with a "Fresnal" light of the second order, and 
 when in operation sends its rays a distance of nearly thirty 
 miles. This lighthouse was built in 1850. Two other 
 
112 The Glacier's Gift 
 
 lights are situated under the chff on North Beach, contain- 
 ing Hghts of the reflecting order, one being red, the other 
 white. These were first placed there in 1838 and are called 
 the "bug lights." A stone tower containing a fixed white 
 light of the third order is situated on Great Point, at the 
 extreme end of the island. 
 
 Besides the lighthouses, Nantucket can boast of as 
 efficient life-saving service as any in the world. There are 
 four stations at as many different points on the island. The 
 oldest one, situated at Surfside, was established in 1874. 
 Great Neck Station is about six miles from the town, while 
 the others, one at Muskeget and the other at Coskata, can 
 be reached by boat. The entire Atlantic coast is guarded 
 by these life-saving stations, there being two hundred and 
 seventy in the system, maintained at a cost of one and 
 one-half millions per annum. In the early days wrecks 
 were quite numerous, but of late there have been compara- 
 tively few, owing, no doubt, to the vigilance exercised b}'' 
 the crews at the stations. 
 
 But one of the most distressing wrecks was that of the 
 Newton, which occurred Christmas morning, 1865. This 
 is recalled to the memory by an article in the Nantucket 
 Inquirer and Mirror, of recent date, and is as follows : 
 
 "Forty-four years ago this (Christmas) morning, occurred what 
 has been chronicled as the most distressing wreck on the shores of 
 Nantucket Island — the loss of the ship Newton, a craft of 699 tons, 
 which sailed from New York for Hamburg two days previous. 
 Every person on board the ship was lost and there are doubtless 
 many of our readers who can vividly recall the harrowing incidents 
 of that Christmas day over four decades ago, which filled the town 
 of Nantucket with gloom. 
 
 The wreck of the Newton followed closely upon that of the 
 schooner Haynes, near Hummock Pond — two days before Christ- 
 mas — which was also attended with terrible loss of life. The story 
 of these two shipwrecks forty-four years ago this Christmas, was 
 related in the columns of this paper on December 30, 1865, as 
 follows : 
 
The Lights Far Out at Sea 113 
 
 'On Saturday morning last, a vessel was discovered ashore at 
 the south side of the island, a short distance east of the Hummock 
 Pond. Parties at once repaired to the scene of the disaster, and 
 found her to be a large schooner, with no signs of life on board. 
 It is probable that the crew abandoned her at the time she struck, 
 and perished in their eflforts to gain the shore. A sad sequel! 
 On boarding her, she was found to be the schooner Haynes, of 
 Boston, loaded with logwood. She ran ashore in the gale of Friday 
 night. On Sunday forenoon following, the dead body of a man, 
 about thirty years of age, was found upon the beach, immediately 
 brought to town, and tenderly cared for. The feelings awakened by 
 this unfortunate circumstance were gloomy, and great anxiety 
 was expressed for the fate of others belonging to the stranded 
 
 vessel. 
 
 Information concerning the sorrowful affair was promptly for- 
 warded to the agent in Boston, who arrived here on Tuesday last. 
 He was deeply pained at the sight. The body that was picked up 
 he identified as that of the steward. The loss of the captain, who 
 was an estimable man, was a personal grief to the agent, as he had 
 brought him up from a boy. The awful news he must break to the 
 captain's wife, who, with Christmas gifts, awaited— who shall say 
 how fondly and devotedly?— the return of her husband. And he 
 who was found dead, ah, somewhere, in some heart, his name is 
 cherished, and loved ones look for his coming in vain ! 
 
 While the heavy gloom yet rested upon our minds, early in the 
 forenoon of Monday last (Christmas morning, although bright 
 with sunshine, brought little of merriment to our hearts), Francis 
 Sylvia came into town with the report that a large vessel had gone 
 to pieces on the south side of the island, eastward from Madeque- 
 cham Pond, and that the shore was strewn with barrels of kero- 
 sene oil. 
 
 But one of the crew reached the beach alive. He was found 
 about half a mile inland, naked, and had probably reached the shore 
 by swimming and is supposed to have started for the nearest house, 
 and perished on the way. He was a man of about twenty-five or 
 thirty years of age, and on his right arm were the initials "J- K." 
 marked with India ink, and on his left arm, "C. U." 
 
 About noon, a life preserver was found, on which was painted, 
 "Newton, Hamburg." By referring to New York papers, we find 
 that the ship Newton, 699 tons. Captain Herting, cleared at New 
 York on the 21st, for Hamburg. The following is the manifest of 
 her cargo : 4,500 packages petroleum, 30 hhds. of bark, 18,000 staves, 
 
1 1 4 The Glacier's Gift 
 
 463 bbls. rosin, and 40 tons of fustic. This is undoubtedly the 
 vessel lost. 
 
 On arriving at the beach, a scene of desolation presented itself, 
 the like of which was never seen upon our shores before, and the 
 nearest approach to which, within our recollection, was that of the 
 unfortunate brig Packet, lost near the head of Miacomet Pond some- 
 where about the year 1826, and from which but one man, the mate, 
 was saved. 
 
 The beach, for miles and miles to the eastward of the wreck, was 
 covered with fragments, broken small, as though by the force of an 
 explosion — which many persons seemed to think had occurred — and 
 everything goes to favor such an opinion. Large spars were broken 
 off short, and we noticed an iron truss, the size of a man's arm, 
 broken off short as a pipestem. A large iron tank lay one or two 
 hundred j'ards east of the wreck, thrown like a plaything, high upon 
 the beach, by the waves. The breakers were filled with barrels of 
 oil, fragments of broken barrels and other articles of which her 
 cargo consisted, while the iron hull itself seemed to be crushed like 
 an egg-shell into a shapeless mass. 
 
 Many persons think the vessel must first have struck on the shoal 
 "Old Man," and then driven over and drifted in; but a majority of 
 our sea-going people think that the ship was steering an E.N.E. 
 course, which the captain supposed would take him by the east end 
 of the island, and that the ship did not strike anywhere until she 
 brought up on our beach. 
 
 It is estimated that about 2,200 barrels of kerosene, together with 
 a quantity of fustic, staves, etc., have been saved. The portion of 
 the cargo secured has been taken possession of by Peter Folger, 
 wreck commissioner. 
 
 Such terrible shipwreck and loss of life have no parallel in our 
 island's history, since the loss of the prizes Queen and Sir Sidney 
 Smith, near our shores, during the war of 1812-14. We remember 
 the fate of the Earl of Egdenton, and the five who found a watery 
 grave within sight of those on the beach ; but never before, nor 
 since, has a calamity, so dreadful in details, visited our dangerous 
 shores. Startling coincidence, that within twenty-four hours, two 
 vessels should thus land upon our coast, and not a soul survive to 
 tell the mournful story. 
 
 Along the line of beach, stretching as far as Quidnet, dead bodies 
 have been seen floating in the surf, and afterwards thrown upon the 
 sand. We wonder not that the threatening reefs that lie outside of 
 Nantucket, are a terror to the mariner. The wreck of the Central 
 
The Lights Far Out at Sea 115 
 
 America, in mid-ocean, was not more frightful, the agony and dis- 
 traction of those on board not more intense or thrilling, than the 
 sad, sad experience of the ill-fated Newton. But the most heart- 
 rending occurrence of all was the situation of that man who was 
 discovered so far inland, with his face buried in the sand. We think 
 of him as leaping into the cold sea, borne roughly to the beach by 
 the wild surges. Pitiful, pitiful ! He stood upon the sheerless 
 shore, his mind clouded with fearful memories, his naked body 
 exposed to the chill night air. Perhaps he saw a light. Hope 
 revived. Ah, poor man, too worn with superhuman exertions, every 
 pore of his skin choking with the merciless blast that howled across 
 our commons, he pressed toward the light, praying only for life and 
 shelter ! But he could not reach it ; he fell on his face, and with 
 no kind hand to lift him up, no voice to revive the spark of hope, 
 he died. 
 
 We have heard it suggested by many persons that hereafter, dur- 
 ing the winter months, men be stationed in our humane houses ; that 
 lights be kept burning, so that the shipwrecked, if alive, may see and 
 be saved. Such a provision would undoubtedly have revived this 
 man's life, and one life rescued would more than pay for the small 
 outlay required to keep these houses open in the winter season. 
 
 Among the articles washed ashore was a package of valuable 
 correspondence, between the captain and his wife, written in the 
 German language, dating from 1865 back to the year 1847, with let- 
 ters from his little girl in the file. A few photographs and books 
 were also picked up by some of our citizens. Since Monday, a num- 
 ber of bodies have been taken from the surf — thirteen in all — and 
 brought to town, ten of which, it is thought, belonged to the Newton. 
 
 All were carefully placed in coffins and entombed in the Unitarian 
 yard, and appropriate religious ceremonies will be observed over 
 the remains of those to be buried. 
 
 Our hearts now offer the tenderest sympathy to the surviving 
 friends of these loved and lost. The grave has claimed their bodies, 
 but Humanity drops tears for the bereaved and Memory will ever 
 preserve the mournful record. To look upon the ocean, now, is 
 but to recall the sweet, sad lines of the poet : 
 
 "For men must work, and women must weep, 
 And there's little to earn and many to keep, 
 Tho' the harbor-bar be moaning !" 
 
 Appropriate union funeral services, in respect to the memory of 
 the deceased, were held in the Methodist church, on Sunday after- 
 noon, at two o'clock. 
 
ii6 The Glaciers Gift 
 
 P. S. — The agent of the Newton arrived here Thursday, and 
 reports that the ship sailed from New York on Saturday, and that 
 he, with the pilot, left her off Sandy Hook at noon of that day. 
 The Newton was a new ship, this being only her second voyage. 
 The crew consisted of twenty-one persons, all told. The female 
 apparel picked up belonged to the captain's wife. She had been 
 with him on previous occasions, and intended to accompany him on 
 this voyage, but altered her mind and remained at Hamburg.' " 
 
 Aside from being well supplied with lights and life-sav- 
 ing service, to Nantucket belongs the honor of having been 
 selected as the first post in America where wireless telegraph 
 messages are both received and transmitted. This station 
 was established in 1901 and is situated at Siasconsett, at the 
 extreme southeastern point of the island. In June, 1910, 
 Congress passed what is known as the "compulsory wire- 
 less bill," which provides "that all vessels carrying more 
 than fifty passengers and crew and plying on routes more 
 than two hundred miles long must be equipped with wire- 
 less telegraph." This bill added a marked increase of work 
 for the operators at 'Sconsett, as, being situated where it 
 is, this station is in touch with nearly all the outgoing and 
 incoming Atlantic steamships. Excerpts from an interest- 
 ing article on the subject by W. M. Thompson in the Boston 
 Globe give a clear idea of the real meaning of wireless 
 telegraphy : 
 
 "Every ocean traveler by the great Atlantic ferry knows of the 
 Siasconsett Station. Steamers are in touch with it from the time 
 they clear New York harbor until their second day at sea, when 
 outward bound, and come into its mysterious sphere when home- 
 ward bound the day before reaching port. When their ship 'turns 
 the corner, at South Shoal lightship, forty-six miles from the 
 tip end of Nantucket, the passengers see the farthest outpost of 
 their own country. 
 
 The ships never come nearer the Siasconsett Station than forty-six 
 miles; hence the operators at the station never expect to see a 
 steamer in the blank waste of water seaward from their post. But 
 the steamers are as much within their mental view as if they were 
 
The Lights Far Out at Sea 117 
 
 actually in their physical range of vision. The marvel of the wireless 
 makes the transference of thought from the little station at the end 
 of the Nantucket moors to the wireless room on the ship forty-six 
 miles at sea instantaneous. Space and forty-six miles of shoals 
 make no difference in the closeness of the touch. 
 
 The public is familiar with the Siasconsett Station through its 
 great work in the Re[>nhlk disaster, January 23, 1909, when the 
 C Q D signal from the sinking liner, followed by messages that 
 grew weak and flickering as her fires went out and her power ceased, 
 was picked up at the station and word was flashed from there to 
 half a dozen ships, who rushed to aid. 
 
 In all the excitement of the Republic disaster the station at Sias- 
 consett worked steadily, the sole medium of communication between 
 the rescuers and the shore. When the story of the marvelous service 
 performed by the station first became known its operators were 
 hailed as heroes. The wireless telegraph at that time was firmly 
 placed on the pedestal of permanent success. Its experimental days 
 ended with the picking up of the Republic's signal. 
 
 Yet in the various accounts of how the station picked up the 
 call for help and relayed it to other ships, there was very little 
 in the way of description of the station itself. That it stood on 
 the far end of Nantucket was known. But no pictures were printed 
 to show how the station looked. 
 
 Though the most important commercial wireless telegraph station 
 in the country, that at Siasconsett is strikingly inconspicuous. It 
 has no steel towers like that at Wellfleet, nor a great steel tube like 
 the experimental station at Brant Rock, near Plyrnouth. Its two 
 wood masts are 185 feet high. The towers at Wellfleet are 220 
 feet, and the staff at Brant Rock 420. 
 
 Between the two masts is the little telegraph house of one story, 
 an insignificant building for the housing of such giant forces. 
 
 There is a little office, with a telephone. Off this is the operating- 
 room, with what appears to be a surprisingly small amount of 
 apparatus. 
 
 In the opposite end of the building is a kerosene engine, driving 
 an electric generator. Both are of medium size. This and the 
 two masts are the entire apparatus of the station ; a decided con- 
 trast to the large amount of machinery of various sorts in the high- 
 powered station of Professor R. A. Fessenden at Brant Rock. The 
 difference in the two, the uninitiated will be told, is in the length of 
 the wave employed in transmitting messages. The Siasconsett 
 Station uses a wave of moderate length. The Brant Rock Station 
 
1 1 8 The Glacier's Gift 
 
 uses an exceptionally long wave, to produce which high power is 
 necessary. 
 
 The neighborhood of the station is both striking and lonely. The 
 station stands back nearly half a mile from the sea, behind the 
 little village of Siasconsett, which screens it from the edge of the 
 cliff, in a large tract of pasture land, sloping gently to the west. The 
 sea is not in sight from it. About half a mile northeastward is 
 the tower of Sankaty Head Light. About the same distance south- 
 ward is the long stretch of beach ; but one must walk some little 
 way from the station door to get a good glimpse of the shore in 
 this direction. 
 
 The situation is like that of the rolling prairie country of the 
 central West, particularly when one looks westward over the undu- 
 lating moors of treeless Nantucket. In the immediate foreground 
 are the greens of a golf club. On one side runs the road to Nan- 
 tucket town, eight miles away. Scattering dwellings of Siasconsett 
 come upon the east to within a few hundred yards. 
 
 Such is the stage setting of the little house of mystery in which 
 the operator sits always at the instrument, an audiphone clamped 
 to his ear, talking with ships at sea without ever seeing one of them, 
 and his gaze resting, when he chances to look out of the window, 
 on a scene that might be part of a landscape in Montana. 
 
 When the mists and storms of winter wrap the lonely and almost 
 deserted little village in their embrace Siasconsett is a lonely place 
 for men trained in the outside world. The few fishermen there 
 are not congenial company. The little train no longer puffs and 
 jolts its daily way to Nantucket. 'Sconsett is physically cut off from 
 the world. 
 
 Yet the operator at his key in the little house, with the snow 
 swirling about it and the wind making melancholy music in the guys 
 of the masts beside it, has no time to be lonesome. 
 
 He is bearing a part in the burden of the world's work. He is 
 a new and important cog in the machinery of modern society. 
 
 Assuming that it is a stormy winter's evening, one may catch a 
 glimpse, through a typical incident, of the work done at Siasconsett. 
 
 Up in town the actors who have had their hour on the Siascon- 
 sett stage in summer are now busy 'making up' for their night's 
 work. The audience is arriving. Outside the snow falls, on a 
 street ablaze with lights. Taxicabs are dashing back and forth, 
 filling the street. An auto and a taxi, skidding in the snow, crash 
 
The Lights Far Out at Sea 119 
 
 together. A man is hurt, seriously, perhaps fatally. He is well 
 known and rich. His family has left New York that day on the 
 Maiirctania for Europe. They must be notified. The message is 
 sent. The operator at lonely Siasconsett takes it from the land line 
 and ticks it off on the snow-laden air. 
 
 In less than an hour after the accident the family of the injured 
 man, dashing through the wintry seas at thirty miles an hour 200 
 miles from land, have received the news of the trouble and have 
 made their plans to return by the next steamer. A message to this 
 effect comes back out of the air and the sufferer is comforted. 
 
 Such is the working of the wireless at Siasconsett. The opera- 
 tor, always on the job, is the link between the land and the sea. 
 
 Every kind of message sent over land wires, and some unknown 
 before the wireless came in, are handled at Sianconsett. Love and 
 death, marriage and birth, ambition, despair, philanthropy, villainy 
 are subjects of the wireless dispatch. Some apparently simple mes- 
 sage is in code, concealing a plot to rob a bank or destroy the good 
 name of a woman. Others in plain language contain family secrets 
 it would not be well for the sender to have known. 
 
 The operator is a repository of secrets ; therefore every communi- 
 cation is sacred. There can be no 'leak.' 
 
 There is always some one on duty in the little wireless house at 
 Siasconsett. 
 
 There are three shifts a day. The first watch begins at midnight 
 and lasts until 8 a. m. The next is to 5.30 p. m. and the man who 
 comes on at that hour stays on duty until relieved at midnight. 
 
 The busiest part of the day is the late afternoon and early evening. 
 After the stock market has closed messages are sent to sea giving 
 the closing, and on other business matters. Social messages are 
 then numerous also, the day's work being done ashore, and social 
 matters coming to the fore. 
 
 Saturday is the station's busiest day. Several liners sail from New 
 York on that day, and there are always three or four coming in. 
 The station is always in touch with three or four steamers, while 
 there may be ten or a dozen within its working radius, 240 miles. 
 Unlike land telegraph, the wireless station can receive messages 
 through only one operator at a time. Messages therefore must 
 wait their turn. If six ships are in touch and each has ten messages, 
 the sixty messages must be handled by one man ; whereas on a land 
 line, working with four operators or one quadruplexed wire, fifteen 
 messages could be received by each of four operators and the busi- 
 ness cleaned up in one- fourth the time. 
 
I20 The Glacier's Gift 
 
 If the Lusifania, for example, sends three messages, and has no 
 more, the operator can notify the next ship with messages to send, 
 and begin receiving from her. 
 
 In this way the station may handle thirty or more messages an 
 hour, although on continuous work a speed of thirty words a min- 
 ute is attained. 
 
 The cost of a wireless message from sea to New York or the 
 reverse is $3.85 for ten words of text. The address and signature 
 are not charged for. 
 
 At this cost most of the messages are condensed to ten words. 
 But there are times when press dispatches are being received, and 
 that means thousands of words. 
 
 The Siasconsett station handled its greatest amount of press mat- 
 ter in a given time during the Republic disaster, when about 20,000 
 words of 'press' passed through the station in thirty-six hours. 
 
 It also had a tidy amount of press matter to handle when Colonel 
 Roosevelt returned from his foreign trip on the Kaiserin Auguste 
 Victoria. 
 
 The ship came into touch with Siasconsett at 4 a. m.. and was 
 in touch until i the next morning, when her business was taken on 
 by the station at Sagaponack, L, I. 
 
 The operator at Siasconsett knew when to expect the Kaiserin, and 
 knew what to expect when she came into touch. He was not sur- 
 prised, therefore, when at 4 a. m. 3,000 words of press matter began 
 to come out of the air, telling of the colonel's movements, his state- 
 ment that he would not talk politics, his hand-shaking in the steer- 
 age, his married daughter's toying with a cigarette on deck and 
 various other matters. 
 
 Direct connection was obtained from Siasconsett by the cable to 
 Wood's H'ole with the land lines, which connected up loops with 
 the various newspaper offices taking the service. The Roosevelt 
 press matter, therefore, was sent practically without interruption 
 direct from the steamship at sea to the telegraph desks of the news- 
 papers of Boston and New York. 
 
 This service was the best illustration to date of the lavish use of 
 the wireless by the press at a time when no emergency prompted 
 its employment. 
 
 Wireless telegraphy, like the old-fashioned kind, begets a fellow- 
 ship between the operators that makes the work interesting. The 
 operators at Siasconsett know the work of all the operators on the 
 leading transatlantic ships. They can tell at once when there has 
 been a change in the wireless room of a ship. The largest ships 
 
The Lights Far Out at Sea 
 
 121 
 
 carry the most expert operators, but even among the crackerjacks 
 n the business there is a difference in style of sendmg U.at .notice- 
 able to the trained ear of the expert at the rece.vmg instrument. 
 
 ™s sense of companionship makes the wireless operator mde- 
 pend:nt of his surroundings while at -rk There are also other 
 reasons why he is a self-contained person. There is a lure m the 
 key "self that keeps the operator on the job in lonely Siasconsett 
 when he might be working in some far more lively place. 
 
 The wl^ole sea is his field of labor. There is a fascination in th 
 thought ^at he can reach out through darkness and storm and pick 
 out a sh P at sea, and on her cause to be deliyered to a passenger 
 a message from his home on land. There is fascinaticn. too in he 
 thought that he may come into touch at any time, through freak 
 
 options, with a ship hundreds of miles beyond his normal spher. 
 
 All the great armada of Atlantic liners are in a way the wards ot 
 the wireless operator. He feels this, and the grip on his imagination 
 is subtle and powerful. 
 
 The signal for help, formerly C Q D, is now, by international 
 a.reem nt S O S. This call has not yet been heard at Siasconse t, 
 b^t rre is no assurance that it will not be; and when on du y 
 the operator has his ear open every second for SOS. If it comes 
 he may be depended on to act with decision. 
 
 The famous RepMic call came in the rnorning, ^^out 60 clock 
 Faint and flickering, it might have missed the ear of any but an 
 alert operator. Catching it meant the saving of many lives. 
 'Each' one of the 439 passengers saved from the RetutUcJ^ 
 reason to consider Siasconsett a shrine to which he might with profit 
 travel to give thanks for his preservation. 
 
 Th viLr to the wireless station may be at loss to know how 
 the operators keep track of the ships with which they are expected 
 
 '^Te'tswer is simple. Every month the company operating the 
 station issues in England a 'communication chart, showing all the 
 sailings ol transatlantic ships for the month. • , ,., 
 
 The ports of departure and arrival and the various wire ess sta- 
 tions .L certain positions at sea are shown in heavy hori.onta line. 
 Each date has a column representing twenty-four hours. A vessels 
 S^^;!se is shown by a line drawn from the date of h- ^eParture 
 starting on her port line, to the date of her arrival on the proper 
 port line. 
 
122 The Glacier's Gift 
 
 The crossing of the lines show the date and approximately the 
 hour at which a vessel may be expected to come into the sphere of 
 each wireless station. 
 
 The chart looks complicated, with its many crossing lines. In 
 practice its use is very simple, and by means of this chart, and the 
 track chart showing the courses of steamers across the Atlantic, the 
 wireless operators are able to keep track of every ship that crosses 
 the Atlantic, knowing where each ship should be at every hour of 
 the day during her passage. If the ships are making schedule time 
 the operators know when they should be able to talk with each other 
 and when they should go out of touch with each other." 
 
 Not only from the island do the lights flash as the dark- 
 ness gathers, but from the surrounding waters can be seen 
 the twinkling rays cast from the lightships which rock and 
 roll above the numerous shoals that lie hidden beneath the 
 waves. From Cape Cod and Martha's Vineyard to Nan- 
 tucket the Sound is decked with myriad lights, even as the 
 firmament is studded with stars. The more dangerous 
 shoals are named and the attendant lightship is known 
 thereby. The ones with which all travelers from the main- 
 land are the most familiar are Cross Rip, Handkerchief, 
 Hedge Fence, and Great Round shoals. The lesser rocks 
 which might prove a menace to an incautious seaman are 
 faithfully guarded by a bell buoy, whose tones float music- 
 ally across the watery w-aste. As one sits and looks out 
 over the harbor in the twilight of a summer evening and 
 the lights begin to twinkle far away in the sea, the words 
 of the old song insinuate themselves into one's musings : 
 
 "Now, in the gloaming and the hush, 
 
 All nature seems to dream; 
 And silently and one by one 
 
 The soft lights flit and gleam. 
 I sit and watch them from the shore. 
 
 Half lost in reverie, 
 Till darkness hides the waves between, 
 
 The lights far out at sea." 
 
CHAPTER X 
 
 Here a Little and There a Little 
 
 HAT Nantucket suffered greatly from the 
 ravages of the enemy during the War of the 
 Revolution has already been told. In the 
 beginning the inhabitants of the island thought, 
 as did some others in the Civil War, that the 
 trouble would amount to very little and would 
 soon blow over, but subsequent events proved 
 what poor prophets they were in both cases. 
 Upon receipt of the news of the Battle of Lexington busi- 
 ness was immediately suspended and everyone seemed 
 overcome with anxiety concerning the ultimate fate of the 
 island. Many of the men were at sea on whaling voyages, 
 others joined the Continental Army, while others went 
 aboard the privateers which cruised along the coast. 
 Twenty-one out of the one hundred and thirty-one which 
 comprised the crew of the Ranger under John Paul Jones 
 were Nantucket men. Wlialing being at a standstill, fishing 
 from the shoals was undertaken, but owing to the high price 
 and scarcity of salt this did not prove a successful venture. 
 Indeed, they were put to severe stress because of a threat- 
 ened famine of both food and fuel. At last small boats 
 were run out as far as Connecticut, where salt and other 
 necessities were obtained ; with these things and the bread- 
 stuff raised on the island starvation was averted. Corn 
 was $3.00 a bushel and flour $30.00 a barrel. The fuel 
 famine was not to be feared so greatly because of the peat 
 bogs and smaller trees of shrub oaks, cedar and juniper 
 which grew further up the harbor near Coskata. A few 
 of the more venturesome seamen undertook to run small 
 craft out to the West Indies, where they obtained salt and 
 
124 The Glacier's Gift 
 
 other produce, which, owing to the high prices then preva- 
 lent, would have meant a lucrative business had not the 
 English obtained possession of so many of the coast towns 
 and patrolling the waters round about with privateers which 
 intercepted the home-coming cargoes of the Nantucket 
 sailors and, capturing the crews, ofttimes sent them to the 
 prison ships, where many of them died from the privations 
 to which they were subjected. A petition was sent in to 
 the Massachusetts Bay Council, a copy of which was pub- 
 lished in the Nantucket Inquirer and Mirror of February i, 
 1873, ^"d i"i-^"s as follows: 
 
 "To the Honorable Council of the State of Massachusetts Bay. 
 The petition of Edward Gray in behalf of William Rotch 
 and others as per schedule annexed, merchants and inhabitants 
 of Nantucket, — 
 Humbly sheweth, That, by an act laying an embargo upon 
 all shipping they are prevented procuring their Summer supply 
 of salt, which is absolutely necessary for them to carry on their 
 Fishery. The whale fishery, which was their dependence, being 
 now entirely stopped they are obliged to recur to the Cod Fishery 
 for a support, which cannot be carried on without salt and unless 
 they have the liberty granted them to procure it they cannot 
 subsist. — That the island, from the nature of its soil, is incapable 
 of producing corn or other grain sufficient for one quarter of the 
 inhabitants; that formerly they wholly depended upon Philadelphia, 
 New York and Long Island for their supplies, which resources 
 are now to be cut off. Unless they can procure corn, etc., they 
 must be reduced to the greatest distress. — That previous to passing 
 the act, Mr. Rotch had prepared a vessel ready to take on board 
 a cargo he had already purchased, consisting of 10 M lumber, 
 60 barrels pickled fish, 180 shook hogsheads and hoops for the 
 voyage, all of which are now upon hand and if the Fish is not 
 allowed to be exported it must inevitably spoil. — That Mr. Rotch 
 had a large sum of money in the hands of a French merchant 
 in Hispaniola, which if not speedily secured, will be wholly lost. 
 All these reasons your petitioner humbly begs your Honor would 
 take into consideration and grant liberty to the several to proceed 
 their voyage and your Petitioner, as is Duty bound, will ever pray. 
 
 Edward Gray. 
 
Here a Little and There a Little 125 
 
 SCHEDULE. 
 
 Owners' Names. Vessels and Names. 
 
 William Roth Schoo. Nightingale 
 
 Do. Sloop Sandwich 
 
 Samuel Starbuck Brigg Katy 
 
 Do. Sloop Dolphin 
 
 Benj. Barney Schoo. Olive Branch 
 
 Masters' Names. Where Bound. 
 
 Jonathan Downes i— Hispaniola 
 
 John Elkins 2— For Salt 
 
 Joshua Gardner 3 — Do. 
 
 Stephen Fish 4 — Do. 
 
 David Paddock 5— Do. 
 
 In Council, February 17, 1777. 
 Read and Committed to the Committee on similar petitions. 
 
 John Avery, Dep'y Sec'y. 
 In Council, February 19, 1777. 
 
 Read and ordered that the pra3-er of the above Petitioner 
 be granted. 
 
 State of Massachusetts Bay, 
 Council Chamber, February 19th. 
 
 To the Naval Officer for the Port of Nantucket. 
 
 Permit the Schooner Nightingale, Jonathan Downes, Master ; 
 the Sloop Sandwich, John Elkins, Master ; the Brigg Katy, Joseph 
 Gardner, Master; the Sloop Dolphin, Steven Fish, Master; and 
 the Schooner Olive Branch, David Paddock, Master, provided 
 said vessels be wholly manned with Quakers, to take on board 
 pickled fish and lumber and proceed on their said voyage to the 
 French or Dutch West India islands, the masters of which giving 
 bond that they will import in said vessels into this state West 
 India Produce and Salt. The dangers of the enemy and seas 
 excepted. 
 
 By Order of Council." 
 
 Sacking and burning of the town was threatened in 
 1779, but the elements played an important part, as a 
 storm forced the ships to stay at the Vineyard for several 
 days, where negotiations were successfully carried on, the 
 
126 The Glacier's Gift 
 
 British vessels returning to New York, leaving the island 
 in security. Be it said to the credit of the British com- 
 manders that this adventure was made without their con- 
 sent. 
 
 In April, 1779, about one hundred armed men landed, 
 under the command of George Leonard, a Tory, and robbed 
 the stores and business houses, leaving with a booty of 
 "£10,665 — 13s — 4d (lawful)." That the General Court 
 objected most strenuously to the islanders carrying on 
 negotiations with the British is proven by an excerpt from 
 the records of June 23, 1779: 
 
 "It appearing by sundry intercepted letters that several inhabitants 
 of the island of Nantucket have been discovered in a design to 
 carry on a correspondence and trade in an unjustifiable manner 
 with the British troops at Newport and New York, to the injury 
 of the cause of the United States ; and the town of Sherburne 
 as a town on said island appears in some measure guilty of violation 
 of their fidelity to said United States by sending a committee to 
 convey their memorial in an unwarrantable manner to the com- 
 mander of the British troops at Newport and New York * * * * 
 the said inhabitants are hereby strictly forbidden to send any 
 memorial or have any communication with the enemies of these 
 United States, without first obtaining leave of this General Court." 
 
 Though the condition of the people was pitiable at the 
 end of the war, yet with brave hearts they gathered up 
 the broken threads of commerce and within a short time had 
 engaged in whaling and other business pursuits with their 
 usual ardor. It is stated on good authority that 1,600 
 Nantucket men lost their lives during the Revolution. A 
 recent writer says, "Without doubt Nantucket paid as 
 dearly for the independence of the country as any place 
 in the Union." 
 
 The people had not fully recovered from the Revolution 
 until mutterings and threats of another war became rife, 
 to which the islanders turned a deaf ear. War was 
 declared, however, in June, 181 2, and it seemed to these 
 
Here a Little and There a Little 127 
 
 sturdy islanders that they were to have more than their 
 share of suffering and privation. They sent a memorial 
 to President Madison, seeking protection. This resulted 
 in no relief whatsoever and in their extremity a committee 
 was sent with a petition to the commander of the British 
 fleet, Admiral Cochrane, asking- for a permit which would 
 enable them to obtain supplies from the mainland. This 
 permit was granted, providing that the people of the island 
 should observe a strict neutrality and should not pay any 
 "direct taxes or internal duties for the support of the 
 United States Government." Some relief was obtained 
 from this indulgence, but owing to the British privateers 
 infesting the waters close at hand, it was almost suicide 
 to try to run the blockade. At the news of the treaty of 
 peace having been ratified the people went wild with joy. 
 Business was once more resumed, but so heavily burdened 
 was the island with the care of the poor and the heavy 
 taxes levied, that it was a long time before any degree of 
 prosperity was enjoyed. In fact, many of the families 
 were forced to seek more favorable locations on the main- 
 land. 
 
 It may be safely stated that there is a greater amount 
 of patriotism to the square inch in Nantucket than any 
 other place on the globe. She gained the title of the 
 "Banner town of the Commonwealth" by sending into the 
 army and navy during the Civil War 339 men, this being 
 "56 more than her quota." In Monument Square is a 
 monument erected to the memory of seventy-four Nan- 
 tucketers who gave their lives to their country, and no town 
 in the United States can boast of more enthusiastic patriotic 
 societies than the Nantucket G. A. R. and W. R. C. In 
 speaking of patriotism, it seems that a few stanzas com- 
 posed by a Nantucket woman in 1862 may not prove inap- 
 propriate at this place. The composer, now a dear old 
 lady, sat and dictated the lines with no hesitation whatever, 
 
128 The Glacier's Gift 
 
 although they have never been pubHshed and years had 
 passed since their last recital : 
 
 "To our Father's God ascendeth, 
 From this island of the sea, 
 Prayers for all our brethren 
 Laboring that our country may be free; 
 
 That the spirit of oppression 
 
 Shall yet stay its mighty hand 
 For a mightier power's prevailing 
 
 With the spirit of the land. 
 
 And may every son and daughter, 
 
 Loving liberty and God, 
 Rise with unity of purpose, 
 
 Labor for a great reward. 
 
 If to save a glorious structure 
 You may find a warrior's grave, 
 
 Yet they live in future ages 
 Who our noble union save. 
 
 Wave, oh ! wave, our flag of freedom 
 
 Till the world shall be no more 
 And its brave supporters 
 
 Gathered home on the eternal shore." 
 
 It must not be assumed the islanders' lives were spent 
 in war or rumors of war, for on the whole they led almost 
 ideal existences in this highly favored retreat. From the 
 first the settlers were given to pastoral pursuits, none of 
 them being seafaring men. The land, which was held 
 in common, furnished fine pasturage for sheep and in 1775 
 there were over 15,000 head roaming over the commons. 
 Of course these animals had to be sheared and the time set 
 for this was the Monday nearest the twentieth of June, 
 and was one great festival from start to finish. At one 
 time there were so many sheep on the island that two 
 shear-pens were necessary, one being near the western end 
 
Here a Little and There a Little 129 
 
 of the island at Maxcy's Pond, while the other was located 
 at Gibb's Pond, near the eastern end. As shearing time 
 approached great preparations were made by the female 
 contingent. The baking and brewing continued for several 
 days previous to the event; then, with baskets packed to 
 overflowing with cakes and pies and eatables of all descrip- 
 tions, jugs filled with home-brewed cinnamon beer, the 
 family would climb into the cart and away for the shear- 
 pens. All other business was at a standstill, strangers often 
 coming from the mainland to witness the washing and 
 shearing. 
 
 The sheep were first driven into a pen, which was near 
 the pond; here they were caught and washed, then driven 
 into the shear-pen, where they were held down and sheared. 
 At the first shearing the sheep were often so wild that they 
 resisted to the point of injuring the shearer. An expert 
 was able to take off a fleece in ten minutes. After the 
 sheep at the western pens had been disposed of the whole 
 company repaired to the eastern district and the same per- 
 formance was gone through. After the shearing was over 
 came the real festivities. There were eating and drinking 
 and dancing. The tailboard of a cart was sometimes taken 
 off and two dancers would begin, using the board for a 
 dance floor. A fiddler would play some lively tune and 
 to this accompaniment they would sway and prance until 
 the board would be completely demolished. Tents were put 
 up over a plank platform for the general dance hall. It is 
 said that one summer it was so cold in June that the shear- 
 ing had to be deferred on account of the temperature of 
 the water. The last shear-pen was situated at Miacomet 
 Pond and 1847 witnessed the last shearing in the history 
 of the island. The scarcity of feed and the depredations 
 committed by the dogs that had become very numerous were 
 the primary causes for the decline of this once lucrative 
 industry. A legislative enactment of July, 1738, reads: 
 9 
 
130 The Glacier's Gift 
 
 "Whereas, much damage has been done by mischievous and 
 unruly dogs in worrying and killing sheep and lambs on the island 
 of Nantucket by reason of the great number of such dogs being 
 kept by Indians as well as English inhabitants; 
 
 It is made lawful for anyone to kill any dog and whoever shall 
 presume to keep such dog shall forfeit £1 to be sued for and 
 recovered by the major part of Selectmen of town of Sherburne. 
 Act to remain in force five years." 
 
 On April 25, 1772, the "Act concerning unruly dogs 
 renewed." The evil not having been mitigated entirely, 
 in 1797, March 3d, "The Act concerning unruly dogs made 
 Perpetual." 
 
 One often hears marvelous stories concerning fish, but 
 some of those relating to the Nantucket sheep are equally 
 incredible. Once upon a time, so the story goes, after an 
 unusually heavy fall of snow, which was crusted over suf- 
 ficiently hard to bear up a sleigh, two sheep owners started 
 out to look up their flocks. Going up by the old mill 
 they saw steam arising from under the crust and, on exam- 
 ination, found the sheep huddled together under the snow. 
 A number of the smaller ones had been trampled to death 
 and the remaining ones were eating the wool from the dead 
 ones. 
 
 The sheep of early times were very gentle and if a door 
 should be left open they would walk into the house without 
 ceremony. It was almost impossible to raise a garden 
 because they became so wise and alert that no ordinary 
 fence would prevent their entering and destroying every- 
 thing green in sight. One man who had taken great pride 
 in his garden built a very high board fence around it, 
 hoping by this means to keep the marauders from doing 
 any damage. Imagine his dismay on rising one morning 
 to find everything trampled into the ground. The queerest 
 part of all was that the fence stood intact, not a board 
 out of place, and no place visible where the sheep could 
 have gained an entrance. The gardener decided to sit 
 
Here a Little and There a Little 131 
 
 up the next night and watch. His vigil was soon rewarded, 
 for through the dark he could make out the forms of an 
 approaching flock. Several of the sheep lined up close 
 to the fence, then the ones just in the rear sprang upon 
 the backs of the first ones, the next in the rear jumped 
 on to the ones in front of them, until the proper height 
 having been reached, the sheep sprang nimbly over the 
 fence and proceeded with their work of destruction. Tra- 
 dition sayeth not whether they employed the same means 
 to get out and one is led to wonder what sort of sign was 
 used among the woolly miscreants in order for them to 
 understand whose turn it was to get the "garden sass." 
 The sheep are now gone from the moorlands and the trials 
 and joys connected with them have been relegated to the 
 storehouse of memory, in company with other relics of the 
 golden past. 
 
 It might be said of the first settlers that they had had a 
 surfeit of religion as it was taught in the colonies, for 
 Ewer says of the white population of the island that "up 
 to 1704, for nearly half a century, the whites had no 
 religious teacher and were without a church ; probably the 
 solitary exception in New England." There were a few 
 Baptists, Presbyterians and one or two Quakers, and as 
 these latter have had a chapter to themselves, it is but fair 
 to the other denominations that they should receive brief 
 notice, to say the least. 
 
 It is quite probable, although of that there is no positive 
 proof, that the Congregationalists may have formed an 
 organization on the island as early as did the Friends. It 
 is simply a matter of tradition that the "Old North Vestry" 
 was erected in 171 1, but it is safe to make the assertion 
 that this society was formed no later than 1725, as it stands 
 on record that about this time Mr. Timothy White began 
 "preaching the Gospel at Nantucket." He was the first 
 pastor, but was not an ordained minister. Rev. Dudley 
 
132 The Glacier's Gift 
 
 says that Mr. White "served under the auspices of the 
 Society for Propagation of the Gospel in foreign parts, as 
 superintendent of the rehgious work among the Nantucket 
 Indians, as a teacher of a private school and as a preacher 
 to the congregation of the First Congregational Church." 
 In 1765 the "Vestry" was moved from the site it had 
 formerly occupied at the north of No Bottom Pond, to 
 Beacon Hill, where it stood for a period of nearly seventy 
 years on the site now occupied by the Congregational 
 church, being moved back in 1834 to give place to the present 
 edifice. It is now at the rear of the church, and while it 
 was once the center of Nantucket's religious life it is now 
 used as a Sunday-school room and vestry. The portraits 
 of many noted speakers of both sexes adorn its walls. 
 
 A Methodist society was formed in 1799, under the 
 leadership of Jesse Lee, Joseph Snelling and George Canon. 
 
 William Beauchamp was the first regular pastor, and 
 while at first the meetings were held in the town hall, a 
 church was built and dedicated on New Year's Day, 1800, 
 and was distinguished by the undignified title of "Teazer." 
 Many a Quaker was excommunicated for attending services 
 at this meeting. 
 
 The Second Congregational church, which is situated 
 on Orange Street and is possessed of the gilded dome that 
 stands a landmark for the entire island and contains the 
 town clock and much storied Spanish bell, was built in 
 1809, and now accommodates the Unitarian branch of the 
 Congregational society. Rev. Dudley says of this church 
 that "it was an offshoot from the First Church, started 
 as a protest against the undue strictness and close surveil- 
 lance exercised over its members by that church in the mat- 
 ter of recreations and amusements, rather than a withdrawal 
 on account of any wide divergence on the question of doc- 
 trinal belief." The first pastor was the Rev. Seth F, Swift, 
 and the present one is the Rev. John Snyder. 
 
Here a Little and There a Little 133 
 
 In the year 1839 the first Baptist church was organized. 
 Rev. Daniel Round, Jr., was its first pastor; the Rev. P. B. 
 Covell being the present incumbent. 
 
 The Protestant Episcopal church was organized in 1838, 
 and a church was built in Broad Street. This was burned 
 in 1846 and as the society was in debt the land was given 
 over to creditors. 
 
 In September, 1846, the organization was dissolved, to 
 reform the same year. A church was built in Fair Street 
 and dedicated in 1850. A magnificent stone edifice, a 
 memorial presented to the parish by Miss C. L. W. French 
 of Boston, occupies the site on which stood the former less 
 pretentious church. Rev. E. L. Eustis is its present rector. 
 
 The Roman Catholics held services on the island as early 
 as 1849, the town hall being used for that purpose. There 
 is now a strong organization of this sect in Nantucket, 
 some of the wealthiest and most noted summer residents 
 being regular communicants. 
 
 It seems from a reading of the records that the early 
 settlers were as tardy in regard to education as they were 
 in organizing religious societies. While, no doubt, there 
 was a certain amount of home teaching, yet it was not 
 until 1716 that a regular master was employed, and this, 
 the records state, was Eleazer Folger, who for his services 
 for one year received the munificent sum of three pounds. 
 From that time on educational methods must have continued 
 in their primitive simplicity until 1827, when the first public 
 school was established, despite vigorous protests from many 
 of the inhabitants, who styled it a "charity school." So 
 popular did the system become, however, that in less than 
 half a century there were twelve of these schools in the 
 various districts, employing thirty teachers, while the aggre- 
 gate number of pupils was nearly twelve hundred. 
 
 A contract was let in 1796 for the building of a school- 
 house, the cost to be not over nine hundred dollars. 
 
134 The Glacier's Gift 
 
 In 1838 the High School was estabHshed, with Cyrus 
 Pierce as principal. This is situated on what is known 
 as Academy Hill, the present structure being built in 1854. 
 
 The Coffin School, now used in connection with the 
 public school, was founded by Sir Isaac Coffin in 1827, 
 for the descendants of the Tristram Coffin of early settle- 
 ment fame. Admiral Coffin was a native of Boston and, 
 after serving a number of years in the British Navy, the 
 English Government presented him an estate situated at the 
 mouth of the St. Lawrence River. 
 
 On a visit to Nantucket he became so impressed with 
 the number of kinsmen he found residing there that he 
 felt impelled to do something that would not only be of 
 lasting benefit to them, but would serve as a memorial 
 to himself as well. This school is said to have cost him 
 an earldom and nearly lost him his baronetcy, as it was 
 reported in England that he had fitted out a vessel from 
 his Lancasterian school, to make master mariners of them. 
 This, of course, was looked upon by England with stern dis- 
 favor and when his name was placed upon the king's list 
 as a candidate for the peerage the ministers promptly 
 rejected it "on the ground of his strong attachment to 
 his native country." {Coffin.) 
 
 Owing to the decline in both population and wealth the 
 admiral's endowment of ^5,833 was found insufficient for 
 its support. It was, therefore, closed in 1898, but in 1903 
 it was opened up as a manual training school. 
 
 On looking over some of the schoolbooks of the early 
 days one comes across some very abstruse problems, several 
 of which are well worth copying. 
 
 "Question: What is reduction of numbers? Ans. Reduction 
 teacheth to reduce or bring any sum of money, weight or measure 
 from one denomination to another of equal value, in doing of 
 which it is to be observed that if a great denomination is to be 
 reduced to a small one it is done by multiplication ; but if a 
 
Here a Little and There a Little 135 
 
 small denomination is to be brought to a great one it is performed 
 by division." 
 
 "i. — To reduce $ to cts. — place cyphers to right of $ and the 
 work is done." 
 
 "2. — The mean time of lunation, that is from new moon to new 
 moon, is 29 da. 12 hr. 44 min. 3 sec. and a Julian year consists 
 of 365 da. 6 hrs. I demand then, how many lunations are contained 
 in 19 Julian years?" 
 
 "3. — How many different ways can four common dies come 
 up at one throw? 
 
 Suppose one undertake to throw an ace at one throw with four 
 common dies, what probability is there of his effecting it?" 
 
 (By the last question four common dies can come up 1296 
 different ways with and without the ace, and by a like computation 
 they can come up 625 ways without the ace, therefore, there are 
 671 ways wherein one or more of them may turn up an ace. 
 Therefore, the undertaker has the better of the lay in the propor- 
 tion of 671 to 625.) 
 
 5 X 5 X 5 X 5 = 625 
 
 1296 — 625 = 671 
 
 1296 = 6X6X6X6 
 
 The following definition for Writing was taken from 
 an old copybook : 
 
 "Writing is of all arts universally admitted to be that which 
 is most useful to society. It is the soul of commerce, the picture 
 of the past, the regulator of the future and the messenger of 
 thought," 
 
 It may truthfully be said that Nantucket can boast of 
 as fine a school system as any in the state. This is proven 
 by the enviable records made in the colleges by the boys 
 and girls who have graduated from the home school. The 
 High School is situated on an eminence from which much 
 of the surrounding island can be seen. As one of the 
 teachers remarked recently, "Every point within view has 
 some historical significance." From one window the pupil 
 may see the memorial tablet that marks the site of Abiah 
 Folger's birthplace; from another the oldest house on the 
 
136 The Glacier's Gift 
 
 island is visible ; while far over on the cliff stand two 
 cottages built by the greatest mountain climbers in the 
 world, Dr. and Mrs. Workman, and across over the moors 
 are visible the few headstones that mark the spot where 
 
 "Each in his narrow cell forever laid, 
 The rude fore-fathers of the hamlet sleep." 
 
 The interior of the school is well equipped for study; 
 on the walls are hung the portraits of many famous men 
 and women, while across the front of the assembly-room 
 is draped the flag adopted by the school, a white back- 
 ground with a blue whale spouting blood, thus forming 
 and keeping our national colors of red, white and blue. 
 
 One cannot but be impressed by the extreme courtesy 
 and consideration shown by the school children to one who 
 is fortunate enough to visit them in their school. Apropos 
 of the recent graduation exercises, the following extract 
 from the Nantucket Inquirer and Mirror sums up the whole 
 matter in a nutshell : 
 
 "The account of the graduating exercises of the High School 
 will be given by a competent reporter, but may I, as a former 
 teacher still interested in the school, express the pleasure that the 
 audience must have felt as they listened to the young people 
 Wednesday evening? 
 
 I would especially commend the fine voices in which the speakers 
 gave their papers. The pitch and tone of the speaking voice are 
 so often faulty in our schools that it is gratifying to know that 
 our pupils are learning the art of good oratory. One other point 
 I would mention : the simple becoming dress of the graduates. 
 
 While our schools lead pupils to appreciate high ideals, we may 
 all be hopeful, not only for the future of Nantucket, but for our 
 whole country." 
 
 It is a far reach from school to jail, but this interest- 
 ing old building must be given some notice. One of the 
 older inmates of the Asylum for the Poor has in his posses- 
 sion a journal which contains the names of a number of 
 
Here a Little and There a Little 137 
 
 criminals who have been "dropped," as the early settlers 
 expressed it. The gallows stood on the ground now occu- 
 pied by the Agricultural Society. Judging from the names 
 it seems that some of them must have been Indians. The 
 names and dates of execution follow : 
 
 "Finch, hung in 1704; Sobo, in 1736; Jo Noby, 1730; Happy 
 Comfort, 1739; John Comfort, 174S; Henry Inde, 1750; Thomas 
 Ichabod, Joel Elica, Simeon Hens, Nathan Quibley, all in 1769." 
 
 Aside from the foregoing there doesn't seem to be any 
 record of very extreme evildoing. But certainly the jail, 
 as it now appears, would not, as one writer has it, "stand 
 a menace to the wrongdoer." It is a frame building and 
 was erected in 1805. Its iron bars might be easily broken 
 and it would not be a difficult matter to remove a part 
 of the siding, were one in very desperate straits. The 
 jailers of early times were quite lenient, according to tra- 
 dition. One prisoner was allowed to take his constitutional 
 each night with the provision that he would return at nine 
 o'clock. One night he failed to get back until some time 
 after the appointed hour, whereupon the jailer informed 
 him that the next time he remained away so late he, the 
 jailer, should lock the doors and go to bed, as he did not 
 care to be kept up beyond his usual bedtime. 
 
 Another criminal, whose sentence would prolong his 
 incarceration until after the winter had set in, told the 
 jailer that if he didn't fix the place so that it would be more 
 comportable he would be obliged to leave before his term 
 expired. 
 
 A whole chapter might be devoted to the history of the 
 village of Siasconsett, or "Sconsett," as the islanders call 
 it, but space forbids more than a passing glance. The 
 village is situated at the southeastern point of Nantucket 
 Island and as early as 1758 was a fishing hamlet. It has 
 now become famous as a summer resort and contains what 
 
138 The Glacier's Gift 
 
 is known as the "Actors' Colony," a collection of bungalows 
 built by theatrical people, who come to the island every 
 summer to recuperate from their strenuous winter's engage- 
 ments. Among the better known artists who reside here 
 are Henrietta Grossman, Harry Woodruff, Digby Bell, and 
 Julia Dean, about whom a clipping from a theatrical journal 
 is taken : 
 
 "Julia Dean, having supplemented her season's work with a 
 month or. two at stock, runs away from the burning pavements 
 to Siasconsett, the famous actors' colony on Nantucket Island. 
 Miss Dean achieved local fame as a wit from her christening of 
 the ante-Revolutionary cabin she took for the end of the season 
 '"Notanybath," a title which caused an English visitor to say: 
 'Notanybath? An Indian name, is it not?'" 
 
 The village has its postoffice, tea houocs, several fine 
 hotels, a golf course, casino and tennis courts. Its chief 
 attraction, however, is its long stretch of sandy beach, 
 where the most excellent surf bathing may be indulged in 
 by all who enjoy the rougher water. 
 
 Other villages on the island are Quidnet, which is nothing 
 more than a cluster of fishermen's houses, with an occa- 
 sional summer cottage ; Wauwniet, where excellent shore 
 dinners may be procured ; and Polpis, of early milling fame. 
 
 Visitors to the island and writers on the subject allude 
 to Nantucket as being quaint. It may have been that in 
 the days past and gone, when its houses were of "shingled, 
 shangled, shongled and shungled" order, but in these days 
 when the trend of architecture is a reversion to the colonial, 
 Nantucket cannot longer hope to be conspicuous along these 
 lines. The whistle of the ice plant and electric power 
 house, the musical cadence of the locomotive bell as the 
 train pulls out across the commons on a narrow gauge road, 
 and the repeal of the curfew law, one and all bespeak the 
 farewell to quaintness and herald the advent of extreme 
 modernity. 
 
Here a Little and There a Little 139 
 
 Each town and hamlet of older civilization contains its 
 "characters" and Nantucket has ever been able to produce 
 her quota. Other writers have given the town criers their 
 meed of notoriety, and with Billy Clark, who "blew his 
 lungs away," that type passed out of existence. 
 
 Nantucket skippers w-ere supposed to be very acute in 
 the knowledge of the sea and could tell where they were 
 without the aid of the compass. The following lines by 
 James Thomas Field will give the reader some idea of the 
 methods employed : 
 
 "Many a long, long year ago 
 
 Nantucket skippers had a plan 
 Of finding out, through 'lying low,' 
 
 How near New York their schooners ran. 
 They greased the lead before it fell 
 
 And then by sounding through the night. 
 Knowing the soil that stuck so well. 
 
 They always guessed their reckoning right. 
 
 A skipper gray, whose eyes were dim, 
 
 Could tell, by tasting, just the spot. 
 And so below he'd 'douse the glim,' 
 
 After, of course, his 'something hot.' 
 Snug in his berth, at eight o'clock 
 
 This ancient skipper might be found, 
 No matter how his craft would rock, 
 
 He slept — for skippers' naps are sound. 
 
 The watch on deck would now and then 
 Run down and wake him with the lead; 
 
 He'd up, and taste, and tell the man 
 How many miles they went ahead. 
 
 One night 'twas Jotham Marden's watch, 
 
 A curious wag — the pedlar's son ; 
 And so he mused (the wanton witch), 
 
 'To-night I'll have a grain of fun. 
 We're all a set of stupid fools 
 
 To think the skipper knows by tasting. 
 What ground he's on. Nantucket schools 
 
 Don't teach such stuff, with all their basting.' 
 
140 The Glacier's Gift 
 
 And so he took the well-greased lead 
 
 And rubbed it o'er a box of earth 
 That stood on deck — a parsnip bed, 
 
 And then he sought the skipper's berth. 
 'Where are we now, sir? Please to taste.' 
 
 The skipper yawned, put out his tongue, 
 And opened his eyes in wondrous haste, 
 
 And then upon the floor he sprung! 
 
 The skipper stormed, and tore his hair. 
 Thrust on his boots and roared to Harden : 
 
 'Nantucket's sunk and here we are 
 Right over old Marm Hackett's garden.' " 
 
 Perhaps no family on the island has been discussed as 
 fully as the Newbegins. After the death of the parents 
 the three sisters lived together about a mile from town. 
 They were Quakers, but for years they only left their 
 home to get provisions, etc. It is said that they used to 
 keep chickens in the house, allowing them to lay their eggs, 
 in the bureau drawers and even on the bed. In order to 
 keep their potatoes from freezing they put them between 
 the feather beds and slept on them. There was a large 
 fireplace in the living-room and while a log was burning 
 on one end the hens would roost on the other. For some 
 reason no one was allowed to go upstairs. One of the 
 sisters, Mary, made a weekly trip into town to get snuff. 
 Whenever she came to a lamp-post she would go around it 
 three times and when she stepped off a curbstone she would 
 immediately step back again, then proceed on her way. 
 All three sisters lived to a good old age and in their latter 
 days were the objects of charity. Phebe died at the age of 
 ninety-four, Mary at ninety-two and Anna at eighty-one. 
 
 Mary Catherine Lee has immortalized this family in her 
 entertaining story "An Island Plant." 
 
 Nantucketers are all familiar with the character who ran 
 all over the neighborhood to find a stepladder, as he wished 
 
Here a Little and There a Little 141 
 
 to paper his walls and wanted to get the correct measure- 
 ment for the border. 
 
 It was told of this same person that his father, having 
 been an ardent Democrat, was disappointed for years at 
 not having had the privilege of seeing one of his favorites 
 in the President's chair. Soon after his death Cleveland 
 was elected and after the returns were all in the son was 
 met coming from the cemetery with a lantern. On being 
 accosted he explained that he had been up to tell his father 
 that a Democrat had finally been elected. 
 
 Another well-known character lived alone, save for his 
 pets, a parrot, a cat and a crow\ On summer evenings he 
 would sit on his steps playing a flute, the parrot perched 
 on one shoulder and the crow on the other. The parrot 
 was said to be quite a singer and the crow used to join 
 in. Their favorite hymns were "When I can read my 
 title clear" and "Jesus, my all, to Heaven has gone." 
 When anything went wrong or was missing the cat was 
 blamed for it. One day the master's glasses were not to 
 be found. He took down a little twig, with which he used 
 to whip his pets, and they both began to cry out "It was 
 the cat," but when they saw that he was in earnest the 
 crow flew into the garden and, going to a cabbage, picked 
 up the glasses and walked back to his master with them. 
 
 The place still has its characters, of whom many amusing 
 things are told, for the people of Nantucket are possessed 
 of a strong sense of humor and, though extremely dignified 
 in their manners, it is not difficult for them to laugh. The 
 following amusing account of changing the name of a 
 street is given by a local paper : 
 
 "The narrow rocky passageway leading from the schoolhouse 
 grounds on Academy Hill to Lily Street commonly known as 'Break 
 Neck Alley,' has been given the pleasing name of Sunset Pass and 
 has an attractive signboard at its Lily Street entrance. If the pedes- 
 trian who uses the alley does not keep both his head and heels under 
 control, he is liable to see stars as well as the Sunset." 
 
142 The Glacier's Gift 
 
 To see the people at their best and in order to place a 
 true value upon them, one must go into their homes. Here 
 one sees furnishings that would make an antiquarian turn 
 green with envy; china and cut glass brought from across 
 the seas, when the whalers returned from their voyages 
 to foreign marts ; here a spoon, made for the first white 
 child born on the island ; there a lacquered chest that con- 
 tains a pound of tea brought from Japan over a half cen- 
 tury ago, the aroma of which is still a delight to the nostrils 
 of tea drinkers ; tall clocks of an earlier age stand ticking 
 off the hours with as much accuracy and dignity as in 
 days of yore; and then the four-posters of solid mahogany; 
 and so one might run on indefinitely. But above all is 
 the charm of the people ; hospitality is dispensed with 
 lavish hands, even the tone of voice of one's hostess pro- 
 claims her at once to be a real gentlewoman. How seldom 
 the word is used nowadays. After a few weeks spent in 
 this enchanting spot, the strident voices that greet one's 
 ears on his return to the mainland almost set the nerves 
 a-quiver. 
 
 If the summer visitors think they can inspire the islanders 
 with awe by the display of fine clothes and glitter of jewels, 
 they would better spare themselves all effort in that direc- 
 tion, because these things are of minor consideration in 
 the eyes of the people who have been accustomed to luxury 
 from their earliest recollections. 
 
 Owing to the isolated situation of the island, the people 
 have naturally had to fall back upon their own resources 
 for amusement and pastime in the winter season. The 
 Atheneum Library, with something near fifteen thousand 
 volumes, its reading tables covered with the best and most 
 recent current literature ; the "Alliance," a club conducive 
 to the advancement of higher ideals of living ; the different 
 church societies, and last, but not least, a wideawake 
 woman's suffrage organization, — all these explain the high 
 
Here a Little and There a Little 143 
 
 degree of culture possessed by the majority. Many of the 
 older women have seen much of the world, having gone 
 on long voyages with their husbands, in some cases children 
 being born in the meantime. 
 
 One of Nantucket's grandames comes to mind, — a 
 real gentlewoman she is and, although eighty years of age, 
 her eyes are as bright and her mind as alert as though 
 she were many years younger. Her life has been full 
 indeed. Not of Nantucket birth, however, she married 
 at an early age one of the direct descendants of Tristram 
 and Dionis Coffin of early fame. The twenty-first of May, 
 1849, as a bride she accompanied her husband to California, 
 going all the way by water. For some years she traveled 
 extensively, going to Rio Janiero, Cape Verde Islands, 
 Tahiti and other South Pacific islands. She was in San 
 Francisco when California was declared a free state and 
 at one time was in South America when an epidemic of 
 yellow fever raged, and although many Nantucket crews 
 succumbed to this dreadful scourge, yet the heroine of this 
 sketch escaped infection altogether. After children began 
 coming into the family it was decided to return to Nan- 
 tucket to remain permanently, and now came the tragedy 
 that ended what had promised to be an ideal home. The 
 husband sailed away with all assurances of a speedy return, 
 but when the sails of that ship passed beyond the horizon, 
 they were seen no more and through all the weary years 
 the widow struggled on, rearing her family of six father- 
 less bairns to years of maturity, and all lived to do her 
 great credit. Regardless of the tragic ending of the 
 father's life, the boys all chose the sea, while two of the 
 daughters married lighthouse keepers, the call of old ocean 
 proving irresistible to them all. For over fifty years our 
 heroine has lived in the one house, the latchstring of which 
 is ever out to both old friends and the summer folk. Her 
 hair is now silvered and her step is feeble. Sweetly, 
 
144 The Glacier's Gift 
 
 patiently she simply waits the call to cross the bar to meet 
 the husband of her youth and the three children who have 
 preceded her into the great beyond. 
 
 So there have been tragedies as well as comedies enacted 
 on this seagirt isle, and because of the former a keen sense 
 of sympathy is characteristic of the people. It is not a 
 truism in this particular spot that to weep is to weep alone, 
 for tears are ever as near the surface as laughter and often 
 far more genuine. 
 
 Not a great deal has been said since the beginning about 
 the physical features of this land of "heart's desire." A 
 whole chapter would not suffice to tell the story of its 
 flora ; each season brings forth its own particular contribu- 
 tion and even in midwinter the peculiar coloring of the 
 moors presents a most interesting aspect. But oh, the time 
 of roses ! — can anything equal it ? Along the road to Pol- 
 pis the wild roses grow in such rich profusion that to be 
 fully appreciated they must be seen, as no language can 
 express the beauty of these flowers. The yellow broom, 
 which comes out in all its gorgeousness in its season, the 
 hibiscus and the red lily each in its season, are beautiful 
 beyond compare. In early spring the trailing arbutus is 
 found in great profusion; here, too, is found the bonny 
 heather, and it is said in some very secluded places the 
 Irish gorse is to be found, the only place outside of the 
 Emerald Isle. If one thinks he knows the true beauty 
 of a water lily and has not made the acquaintance of the 
 pink lily of Nantucket, it would pay him to take the trip 
 in order to be convinced of his error. The same may be 
 said of the hydrangeas; the half cannot be told of their 
 gorgeous coloring and hardy foliage. 
 
 In closing it must be said for the benefit of those intend- 
 ing to visit this much storied island, that to one who would 
 get the most out of a stay, however short or protracted, 
 first he must be perfectly "in tune with the Infinite," 
 
Here a Little and There a Little 145 
 
 otherwise he will be like the young lady who had been 
 taken out for a drive along the rutted roads across the 
 moors. On her return her hostess asked her how she had 
 enjoyed it. "Oh," she replied, "the drive was most enjoy- 
 able, but where is your much talked of scenery?" If one 
 is looking for the grandeur of mountain views or silvery 
 sheen of tumbling cascades and waterfalls, he will certainly 
 not find them here ; but if he can appreciate the grandeur 
 of old ocean, if he can with an artist's eye enjoy the inde- 
 scribable coloring of earth and sky and sea, he is then in a 
 position to enjoy to the fullest extent a stay on this, the 
 Glacier's Gift, and can say with Mrs. Browning, 
 
 "Nothing is small. 
 No lily muffled hum of summer bee 
 But finds some coupling with the spinning stars; 
 
 No pebble at your feet but proves a sphere. 
 
 Earth's crammed with Heaven ; 
 And every common bush afire with God; 
 
 But only he who sees takes off his shoes." 
 
AUG 
 
 4 1911 
 
 
 
One copy del. to Cat. Div. 
 
 19(1