The Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1837-1845, 1841-08-12
From he Newport Herald.
ISLES OF SHOALS.

A'ioot VI Jul ItducTS nave HedTu Oh, anu some
ofthem have visited the Isles of Shoals. In former
times they were oftenre sorted 10 BY invalids
Tor The benefit OF the sea air and sea bathing,
and are now frequented by parties of pleasure
on fishing excursions They have been some
what celebrated, too, for sending to our market
the best table fish. The history OF these islands
Is quite curious, and worth knowing They have
undergone strange revei SEES, and the true tale
that IS told Of their fortunes has an important
moral. We have been induced lately TO hunt
up this tale, and we propose, in the absence Of
more interesting matter and greater novelty, 10
serve up in convenient portions some of the
results of our search. Our principal authorities
Tor our sketch are, paper In the Massachu-
sets Historical Soceiys Collection for the wear
1900, manuscript of the late Dudley Atkins
Tying, Esq of this town, and an Annual Re
porter of the worthy Missionary now on the
islands.
| The Isles Of Shoals are eight in number, viz /.
| Hog Island, of about $50 acres Haley's or
Smutty Nose Island, of about 100 acres and
Cedar, White, Londonneis, Malaga and Duck
lslands, the largest OF which contains about s
acres, the smallest about one acre. The cluster
lies miles s. f.. of Portsmouth, and 81 miles
N K. of Plum Island lighthouses The line
which divide, New Hampshire from Maine
passes among these islands, giving Hog Haley's
Duck, Cedar, and Malaga to the latter, and the
rest to the former of these States. These islands
were discovered in 1914 by the celebrated Cap
tain John Smith, SO well known in connection
with the early history Of Virginia, and the no
Bile deeds Of the beautiful and high-mnded Pc
cahontas. He gave TO them his own name:
when and why they received their present APP
pelhtion, is not known. These islands are
masses of rocks, covered with thin soil. capa-
Bile of supporting in summer about 20 or 80 COWS
and $50 sheep, most of whom are killed before
winter. Tradition tells US, however, of a wo-
man by the name of Pussey, who died on Star
Island in 1885, nearly 90 years old, who, in her
Lifetime, kept two cows the year round. She
used to cut the grass for them with her own
hands, wife knife among the rocks. In this
way she made about half ton of hay. Her
cows are said 10 have been in excellent order.
To the great grief of the old lady, the British
took and paid for them in 1775, and pronounced
the beef 10 be of the very best quality.
Upon these islands are enormous chasms in
the rocks, several yards in width, and from one
to ten in depth, occasioned by some violent con
WILSON'S Of nature. The most remarkable Of
is known as "Betty Moody's Hole" being the
place where the said Betty hid herself from the
Indians, or, as some say, was drowned The
land on these islands lies in common, except
few Enclosures for gardens and moving ground.
From three to six tons of hay are cut in summer.
On Hog and Haley's Islands are found whortle
berries, choak plums, and few cranberfies.-
Some time about ls00 nearly half the sward on
Star Island was cut, and dried and burnt, by the
needy inhabitants, for fuel As TO the climate
the worthy John Tuck, Of whom more will be
related by and by, used to say, the weather al
the Shoals was "a thin under waislcoat warmer
than in the same parallel of latitude on the
main" So much for the situation, appearance,
and productions Of the Isles Of Shoals.
They were settled not long after their disco
very-among the first Inhabitants were William
Pepperell and Mr.. Gibbons, from Topsham in
the west of Engand-two very respectable gen
tlemen. For year or two they carried on the
fisheries, but finding the place 100 limited for
their views, they concluded TO remove TO the
main. To determine in which direction to 90,
they each sent up stick and left them TO fall as
Providence should direct. Peppercll's fell to-
wards N. W.-Glbbons' towards the n. E.
So they parted, the former settling at the
mouth Of the Piscataqua-the latter obtaining
tract Of land. since called the Waldo patent
But the example nf Pepperell and Gibbons in
quitting the islands was not followed, they be-
came the permanent abode Of quite large popu-
latlon, taking into consideration their business
and location. The business of the people was
fishing, and in this they met with great success
For more than century previous to the Revo-
lutionary war there were on the Shoals from
three to six hundred inhabitants. On Hog
Island now. we believe unlnhabited, were 90 or
80 families, all good vers.
Smutty nose boasted of Court house. There
was meeting, house, first on Hog, and after
wards on Star Island. Star Island was an in
corporated town, originally called Appledore
and since known as Gosport and the usual mu
nicipa officers were annually chosen and the
town records regularly kept. AT one period the
Shoals were so prosperous, that gentlemen sent
their sons here from some Of the principal towns
on the sea-coast, to receive literary instruction
Before Inc wal, ri. II.ivy, .Ln r-opr;atnr &c
Smutty nose, had depended a handsome sum in
the erection of sea wall to protect the only
harbor in the islands He also built and owned
wind mill, rope walk 270 feet long, and a
range of sat-works These and other buildings
erected since are all going TO decay. In former
days, from three tofour thousand quntaIs OF fish
were annu lily caught and cured by the island
ers. In 1880, and afterward, three or four ships
usel to load at the Shoals, with winter and
spring merchandise fish, for Bboa, in Spain,
and smaller vessels for other places. Large
quantities of fish were also carried to Ports
mouth, for the West India market.
Whilst enjoying this high degree of temporal
prosperity, the Shoaers did not neglect their
spiritual concerns, as we will show in our next
number. In the meantime, we will insert here
curious old document, not very Aattering, GER
tainly, to the ladies' and of which no very salts
factory explanation can be given
f" The humble petition of Richard CuH und
- Cutting, She,reh That John Reynold !,
contrary to an act in court that no women shall
live upon the Isles of Shoals, hath brought his
wife ihither, with an intention there to live; and
hath also brought up on Hog Island great stock
of goats and hogs, which doth not only spoil
aud destroy much fish, TO the great damage of
several others, and likewise many Of your petit
TONERS but also doth spoil the spring Of water
that is on that island, by making it unfit or ser
viceable for any manner Of use, which is the
only relief and sustenance of all the rest Of the
Islands Your petitioners, therefore, pray that