Gen. Gage's Administration; Shutting up of Boston Harbor; Election of delegates to Congress; General Gage's Proclamation;
Against non-importation league.
Remarkable Proclamation for the promotion of Piety and Virtue.
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Its Character and Observance.
XIII. Curiosities of the Market. 131
Supplies of Gov. Winthrop; Bartering for Furs;
Scarcity of Provisions; Hunting, Game, Fish, &c.; Living in the Olden Time; Supplies for a British fleet.
[Pg xi]
[Pg xii]
CONCLUSION.
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[Pg 13] I.
TOPOGRAPHY OF BOSTON.
THE ORIGINAL PENINSULA.
There is a line of Cowper to the effect that "God made the country, and man made the town;" and there is probably no more striking evidence of the truthfulness of the axiom than is to be found in the history and growth of Boston, between the years 1630 and
1880, confirming in a remarkable manner Capt. Wood's prophecy concerning the town, in 1650: viz., "whose continuall inlargement presages some sumptuous city." The original territory which has formed the basis, so to speak, of Boston proper, was a peninsula, and appeared like two islands, or, by the continued operation of the sea, was likely to become so. Its distinguishing feature was to be found in its three prominent hills, or, perhaps, its two hills and its three-peaked mountain. These were her jewels: they have since represented her fame, her history, her sentiments; for these were all wrapped around them. The peninsula was a point of land projected into the harbor, with a narrow neck connecting it with the mainland, and another narrow[Pg 14] place in the vicinity of what is now Dock Square, which was once quite open to the harbor. In length from the south line at Roxbury, it was something less than three miles (two and three-fourths and two hundred and thirty-eight yards). Its width at the widest point, between Wheelwright's wharf (afterwards Rowe's, and now Foster's) to Barton's Point, Leverett Street, was something over one mile, and its circumference about four miles.
CURIOUS EARLY DESCRIPTIONS.
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The first impression of the "island" which has been recorded is that of Anne Pollard, who died in Boston, Dec. 6, 1725, at the age of 105 years, and left over one hundred descendants. She always said that she came over from Charlestown, in 1630, in the first boat that crossed with Gov. Winthrop's party, and, being what might now be called a romping girl for those times, ten years of age, was "the first to jump ashore;" and she afterwards described the place "as being at that time very uneven, abounding in small hollows and swamp, and covered with blueberry and other bushes." We do not think there is any one inclined to dispute this statement, or question its truthfulness.
There are several descriptions of early Boston, topographical and otherwise, which have been quoted by subsequent writers upon the subject, rather as curious and original than as having any particular merit in themselves. First among these is that of Capt. Edward Johnson, in his "Wonder-Working Providence of Sion's Saviour in New England," written[Pg 15] about 1640. He describes it as surrounded by the brinish flood, "saving one small Istmos which gives free access to the neighbor townes," and says, "At their first landing the hideous thickets in this place were such that wolfes and beares nurst up their young from the eyes of all beholders.... The forme of this Towne is like a hearte, naturally situated for fortifications, having two hills on the frontice part thereof next the sea." These were Fort and Mill (Copps') Hills. "Betwixt these two strong armes lies a large cove or bay, on which the chiefest part of the town is built, overtopped with a third hill" (Sentry or Beacon Hill). There were two smaller hills on the Common, on one of which Gen. Gage afterwards built a battery, when the town was in his military possession, and on the other a powder-house.
Another curious description of Boston is given in Wood's "New England's Prospect:"--
"Boston is two miles North-east from Roxberry. His situation is very pleasant, being a Peninsula hemm'd in on the south side with the Bay of Roxberry, and on the north side with Charles River, the marshes on the back side being not half a quarter of a mile over; so that a little fencing will secure their cattle from the woolves. It being a Necke and bare of wood, they are not troubled with those great annoyances, wolves, rattlesnakes and musquetoes.... This Necke of Land is not above four miles in compasse, in forme almost square, having on the south side at one corner a great broad hill, whereon is planted a Fort, which can command any ship as shee sayles into any Harbour within the still Bay. On the north side is another Hill equall in bignesse, whereon stands a winde mill. To the north-west is a high Mountaine, with three little rising Hills on the top of it, wherfore it is called Tramount.... This town although it be neither the greatest, nor the richest, yet is the[Pg 16] most noted and frequented, being the Center of the Plantations, where the monthly Courts are kept. Here likewise dwells the Governor. This place hath very good land, affording rich Corne-fields, and fruitful gardens, having likewise sweete and pleasant springs."
There were two large coves projecting into the peninsula,--one from the harbor and one from Charles River, nearly opposite to each other, and producing the narrow portion of the land already spoken of, so that if the peninsula was not formed of two islands originally, as has been supposed, the cutting of a creek across this narrow portion, nearly on the line of Blackstone Street, and uniting the waters of the two coves, had the effect practically to make it so, at least at such times as the waters of Charles River and the harbor met across the neck, near Roxbury; so that the peninsula can hardly be said to have been heart-shaped, much less square.
But the most curious description of Boston, though it may hardly be called such, is that given by Edward Ward--a low, but ingen-ious and scandalous author, whose book cannot enter a decent presence--in his "Trip to New England."[1] He says of "Boston and the Inhabitants,"--
"On the south-west side of Massachusetts Bay is Boston, whose name is taken from the Town in Lincolnshire, and is the Metropolis of all New England. The houses, in some parts, join as in London. The buildings, like their women, being neat and handsome. And their streets, like the hearts of the male inhabitants, are paved with pebble.
[Pg 17]"In the chief or High Street there are stately edifices, some of which have cost the owners two or three thousand pounds the raising, which I think plainly proves two old adages true, viz., That a fool and his money is soon parted; and, Set a beggar on horse-back he'll ride to the devil; for the fathers of these men were tinkers and pedlars.
"To the glory of religion, and the credit of the town, there are four churches, built with clapboards and shingles, after the fashion of our meeting houses; which are supply'd by four ministers, to whom some, very justly, have applied these epithets, one a scholar, the second a gentleman, the third a dunce, and the fourth a clown."
These extracts afford no idea of the scandalous character of the book, nor do even sentences like these: "The women, like the men, are excessive smokers." "They smoke in bed, smoke as they knead their bread, smoke whilst they are cooking their victuals, smoke at prayers," &c. "Eating, drinking, smoking, and sleeping take up four parts in five of their time," &c. "Rum, alias kill-devil, is as much ador'd by the American English, as a dram of brandy is by an old billingsgate," &c. We can give our readers no further idea of the gross and indecent character of the whole volume, without offending in the way the author has done.
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THE SOUTH COVE.
The South Cove extended from what is now Batterymarch Street to near the North Battery, at the foot of Fleet Street, curving inward as far as Kilby Street and near the old State House, with creeks extending towards Spring Lane, Milk and Federal Streets. Dearborn says, "Winthrop's Marsh, [Pg 18]afterwards called Oliver's Dock, was near Kilby Street, and between the corner and Milk Street, a creek ran up to Spring Lane." An aged citizen once said he remembered hearing Dr. Chauncy say that he had taken smelts in Milk Street; and a Mr. Marshall remembered that when a boy they were caught in Federal Street, near the meeting-house, (Dr. Channing's). Another aged inhabitant is reported to have said, that, in the great storm of 1723, "we could sail