called, and the west end of the town, a tract of land below the medium quality. From these five acres he gathered 250 bushels of good corn, and this quantity was considered rather less than an average for that year's growth. This may be accounted an uncommon growth for any country, still we are inclined to believe in the correctness of the account. The following will show the diminished fertility of the land from that time. In the year 1773, the cornfield was at Madaket and Smith's Point, at the northwesterly part of the island. The land then produced 20 bushels, on an average, to the acre, which was Since that time the

considered a remarkably good crop. crops have gradually lessened, and within a few years they would not average more than 10 or 15 bushels to the acre. There are many reasons which might be assigned for this declension: amongst these, the following may be worthy of consideration. At the time of the

settlement of the island it was covered with wood, which protected the crops from the raw easterly winds, and by a continued supply of falling leaves and other decaying vegetation preserved the richness of the soil. The frequent ploughing of the land, since it was cleared of trees, has exposed the soil to the action of bleak winds, to which the island is very subject, and by which it is blown into the sea. Besides the plentiful production of corn, much wheat was raised. These and other productions sometimes exceeded the wants of the inhabitants, and were carried to Boston and other places to be exchanged for other articles of merchandise.

The land, weakened by the causes above-mentioned, has in many places been overrun by beach grass, which has advanced from the margin of the sea towards the

This kind of grass

interior, and covered large tracts. grows best in a sandy soil; it rises to the height of about two feet, and is better calculated for brooms than for fodder early in the spring, however, when it begins to grow, it is tender and wholesome food for all kinds of stock. Notwithstanding the many causes which have operated to diminish the natural fertility of the soil, there are many hundreds of acres under good improvement, which produce heavy growths of hay, corn, and the common culinary vegetables. There are some excellent farms and fine gardens, in which some of the luxuries, as well as many of the necessaries, of life are annually raised. The cultivation of the grape has, within a few years, attracted the attention of several agriculturists, and it has been proved that both the soil and climate are admirably adapted to the cultivation of this delicious fruit. Hundreds of bushels of the Isabella, and considerable quantities of other kinds, are annually produced.

The wood, that grew here, was of the same kind as that found on the adjacent parts of the continent. A great proportion of it was oak, of an uncommonly hard and firm texture. It was used for the frames of houses and other mechanical purposes: some buildings, now standing, framed of this wood, appear to be as sound as ever.

The face of the island is generally level; there are some elevations but no remarkably high hills. There is a considerable number of ponds, some pretty extensive, and well supplied with fish, others small, and serving only as watering places for cattle, or resorts of small shore birds, which are numerous. There are also many swamps, some containing from 100 to 300 acres; those situated near the town have been cleared, and made into valuable

meadow land. A considerable quantity of good salt meadow is found bordering on the numerous creeks. But few rocks and not many stony places are to be met with. Among the minerals, found on the island, may be named large beds of blue clay, and also of peat, as abounding. Boulders of granite are common on the hills; specimens of bog iron are found in one location. Fragments of feldspar and porphyry are common. Pebbles of jasper are found on the seashore, and handsome specimens of amber are occasionally picked up there. Fossil shells are often found at considerable depths, when sinking wells.

The inquiry is frequently made by strangers, whether the island increases or decreases in size. On the authority of long and accurate observation it may be stated, that there has been a decrease, and in some places to a considerable extent. On the east and south some hundreds of acres have been washed away, and, if we may credit the accounts of our ancestors, a greater quantity from the north.

If the decrease were in regular proportions from year to year, it might be ascertained, by a simple calculation, at what time the whole island would become extinct. But this cannot be done; for in some years there is even an increase, in others but little loss, in others again, in consequence of hard and repeated storms, such has been the waste, that the final destruction would seem to be the easy work of a very few centuries.

CHAPTER II.

THE first emigration of the whites, or English, to the island being one of the most interesting parts of this account, we shall endeavor to be as explicit on the subject as the nature of the work, and the means possessed, will admit. Our information, however, falls far short of what is necessary to form a complete history.

Thomas Macy being the first settler, it will not be deemed a needless digression, to state what we know of his early biography. In the year 1640, being then a young man, he moved with his family from the town of Chilmark, in Wiltshire, England, and settled in Salisbury, county of Essex, in Massachusetts. He lived here in good repute twenty years, where he acquired a good interest, consisting of a tract of land of 1,000 acres, a good house, and considerable stock. But when this part of the country became more thickly settled by the English, dissensions arose among the people in regard to religion and religious denominations. Notwithstanding the purpose of their emigration from the mother country was that they might enjoy liberty of conscience in religious matters, they themselves commenced the work of persecution, and enacted laws to restrain people from worshipping God according to the dictates of their consciences. Among other restraints, a law was made, that any person, who should entertain one of the people called Quakers, should pay a fine of five pounds for every hour during which he

so entertained them. Thomas Macy subjected himself to the rigor of this law by giving shelter to four Quakers, who stopped at his house in a rain storm. This act was soon sounded abroad, for, being influenced by a sense of duty, he had used no means to conceal it. Being cited to answer for the offence, he addressed the following letter to the court, the original of which is preserved in the cabinet of the Nantucket Athenæum

"This is to entreat the honoured Court not to be offended because of my non-appearance. It is not from my slighting the authority of the honoured Court, nor fear to answer the case; but have been for some weeks past very ill, and am so at present; and notwithstanding my illness, yet I, desirous to appear, have done my utmost endeavor to hire a horse, but cannot procure one at present. I, being at present destitute, have endeavored to purchase one, but at present cannot attain it—but I shall relate the truth of the case, as my answer would be to the honoured Court-and more cannot be proved, nor so much. On a rainy morning, there came to my house, Edward Wharton and three men more;' the said Wharton spoke to me, saying that they were travelling eastward, and desired me to direct them in the way to Hampton ; and never saw any of the men afore except Wharton, neither did I enquire their names or what they were; but by their carriage I thought they might be Quakers, and said I so and therefore desired them to pass on, in their

'Two of these men were William Robinson, merchant, of London, and Marmaduke Stephenson, of Yorkshire, England. They were hanged in Boston, on the 27th of the 10th month, 1659, for supporting the Christian principle, as believed by the people called Quakers.