The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1897-07-01
The Cabot Memorial Service Of the =
Historical Soc ETY. at Brunswidb


The Cabot Memorial Service of the ~
Historical Society at Brunswidt
To the Editor of the Press:
The very able and exhaustive DISCS
of the Cabot findings of 1897 not opg
added to the interest and importspr :
the late Bowdoin commencement w.
was also an important contributions "
Maine Historical Society to the histarlo'
literature of New England, and of bslp
as well.
1t has opened impressive views Of Y,
agencies and source of influence ~bep'
started the colonial movements in Eps
land to plant New England life on tnf''
shores, and led, as we think, to The s'
ting of its rootlets in Maine.
1t appears the city of Bristol, Enssna
was the center of the Cabot enterprlS,,
and it's commercial interest the SQUIRT ap'
succor Of the Cabot undertaking fp'
fruits of which were ninety day vCJse
out from this port and return Of The snlP
Matthew thereto, in August, 1887, freight
ed with good news'' of discoveries pace
on great circle sailing westward, Of Y
land fall and of the Main of contlnep'
of North America. The details o. tne
discoveries, meagre outlines only y
which have yet reached historical Dotlcel
stirred the commercial heart of EDgap0l
to its core. There seems to have been thel
Iulness and fairness in these details, Of VI
mainland, continent of America. North
supplemental to the incidents of Column
bus insular findings in the torrid gone
The merchants of Bristol became 50 in-l
terested as to engage extensively in vest
eIn adventures, and move the commeTclal
enterprise of the entire west of England
IN the same direction. This sympatbeiNI
influence Of the Cabot findings in tneI
northern hemisphere grew in intensy ~
the hearts of Bristol, and, in expansion. !
to Exeter, Plymouth and FaImouth Of
England, eliminating in the voyage Of
Bartholomew Gosnold, in 16O2-3, who,l
probably, borrowing from the Cabots thf|
hint of remarkable findings OF. q duel
west course as the winds would let him
run, started, expecting a Cabot surprisl
at the end of the voyage. Holding hisI
course in seven weeks he struck the main
OF the Northern Continent, in a remark
able typographical landfall-'tA ouil
point of rising ground with tall grown
trees, land somewhat low; certain hillocksl
lying inland, with shore full of white
sand and very rocky
The description gives us a cape OF head.
land of tall trees, heavily wooded, pefsc.
ing round green hills inland with white
sandy shore, and rockbound coast. It was
the land of "Ma-voo-shan, y of the Saga
dahoc estuary, and Cape Small Point
headlands. The relation of the Gosnoh
findings further excited the maritime in
terests of the west Of England and stimu
lated the famous Weymouth survey Of The
Gosnold discoveries to fix eft and con.
venient places" for planting English
homes, ending in the contract of April
10, 1905 and the colonial planting Of 1901
at Sagadahoc. Sheepscot ana Pemaquld,
and OF Bristol, on the coast of Maine
a daughter of Bristol, the home of Cabot
in England. and the foster mother Of
both. Thus we have thread of life in
the history of Maine tied by Cabot to the
city OF Bristol, England, and spun out Of
the incidents Of his great voyage in The
ship Matthew probably of Bristol when
she made the "prima vista" Of a North
ern Contine Mt west, for the benefit Of
English life and enterprise, and asan.
suit, Bristol in England became the
mother of Bristol in Maine.
r. K. SEWALL
Wiscasset, June IS, 1897.