Just what does the year 1623 mean to you, boys and girls ? I am not going to tell you immediately, because I want you to read this story and discover the answer for yourselves. Then, I hope you will remember that date for a long, long time. You recall reading about Bartholomew Gosnold and John Smith, don't you ? When these men returned to Old England, they had marvelous tales to tell their people at home. Their friends in the seaport towns gathered round them wide-eyed and open-mouthed; for never had explorers recounted more wonderful ad-ventures. I imagine they told stories of the Indians they had seen and the new routes they had used in trying to find India; but best of all was the story Gosnold told. He said that as he was exploring Massachusetts Bay, the fish were so plentiful they actually pestered his ship. The townsfolk had heard of fish a-plenty, but never before in such immense quantities. Their interest knew no bounds. It was then that men of commerce began to dream of great wealth to be gained from the waters of the New World. And soon they began to lay plans, that their dreams might be realized. The leaders reasoned in this manner : "Why not settle a colony on the shores of Massachusetts Bay ? Then, while some of the colonists were getting big catches, the others could be raising enough grain to supply themselves and the fishermen as well ?" In this way, you see, they believed the colony would be self-supporting. As soon as this plan was accepted, John White, a minister of Dorchester, England, began to gather men from the seaport towns for this new venture. In a short time, a ship of fifty tons was fitted out and started on its voyage for the New World. At length they arrived at Cape Ann and, although it was late in the season, they were successful in their fishing. Just as we should expect after Gosnold's interesting tale! The vessel, laden with fish, now proceeded to Bilbao. Have you ever heard of Bilbao? If you will look at a map of Europe, you will find it is a large seaport in the northern part of Spain. But much to the discouragement of the Dorchester Company, the distance and dangers were too great to make this a profitable trip. For you must remember that there were no magnificent steam-ships carrying thousands of tons, but only little boats of about fifty tons, depending wholly on the wind for their speed. Back on Cape Ann this vessel had left fourteen of its number. These men were joined by eighteen other colonists the next year. You remember the Plymouth Colony that was founded in 1620. This little settlement was in a pitiable condition, many of its people were on the verge of starvation. Their leading men were, of course, greatly troubled and sought to find some way out of the difficulty. They had, no doubt, heard of the success of the Dorchester Company. Why couldn't they fish in the waters of Massachusetts Bay? So it was decided that Edward Winslow should go to England; for, if they were to carry out their plans, they needed money with which to work. in another way they were decidedly fortunate. Lord Sheffield gave them the right to use that part of New England known as Cape Ann for their work. All went well. They were soon on their way across the Atlantic in a ship called "The Charity." When they arrived at Cape Ann, the season was late, the fish had gone southward, and the weather in this part of the country was too severe for them. As the land around Cape Ann had been granted to the Ply-mouth people, the Dorchester Company had to obtain permission from them to stay on Cape Ann. The two settlements came to an agreement—that each should have a fish stage here. You will be interested to know that these stages were set up on the shores of our own Stage Fort Park. One day a ship belonging to some West Country merchants appeared in the harbor. Its commander, a man named Hewes, finding that the Pilgrim stage was unoccupied, seized it and intended to i keep it by force of arms, if necessary. He found some hogsheads on the stage and began piling these up for defense. Captain Myles Standish, the courageous soldier of Plymouth, demanded that these pirates at once leave the stage. You can imagine how serious maters looked. Myles Standish would have been willing to fight to a finish, and probably Hewes was a man who was willing to stand his ground. Just when the words were the hottest, Roger Conant, the governor of the settlement, appeared and, stepping forward, suggested this plan. He said in part, "Why can we not live peaceably together? We are all Englishmen. Let us agree that neither will take an unfair advantage of the other. How much better this will be than the shedding of blood." So they decided to settle their differences in a peaceful way. No doubt you have heard of troubles in our times being settled by arbitration. Perhaps you have wondered what it meant. When a country arbitrates with another, they each appoint a person or persons to think over their difficulties and to find a way to settle them peaceably. Roger Conant, in this case, proved an able arbitrator. Try to remember that this was the first difficulty in America to be settled by this method. How much better to talk over our difficulties than to resort to blows immediately. That year the fish were plentiful, and at the end of the season both vessels went home to England with a large fare. You would imagine that, from the fact that Gloucester became a great fishing port, the fishing business was a success from the beginning. History, on the contrary, tells us a different story. The Dorchester Company became heavily involved in debt and had to give up their stage on Cape Ann. The Plymouth people were fairly successful. However, misfortune came upon them. Their salt-house was destroyed by fire, so that they, too, gave up their fish-ing plans for a time. Most of the Dorchester Company went back to their homes in England. A few, wishing to remain in the New World, moved to Naumkeag, or Salem, in 1626. One of these was Governor Roger Conant. Let us pause for a moment over this noble pioneer. When some of his followers decided later to leave Naumkeag for the Virginia Plantations, Conant, with marvelous steadfastness of purpose, replied to them in these stirring words: "I shall wait the providence of God in the place where we now are. Yea, though all shall forsake me. For, if you depart, I shall soon see more company." A man of peace but firm in his undertakings. A trust in God that could overcome all difficulties. No doubt, he caught a glimpse of the future when "the little should become a thousand and the small one a great nation."
There were no cars or trains in those days to carry the colonists from place to place. Through the thick, unbroken forests of Cape Ann they wended their way, driving their cattle before them. We are told that the path they used later became the highway that connects Gloucester with Salem. We can imagine how many times they gave a backward look on the little settlements they were leaving, with a bit of sadness as their steps took them farther and farther away from their first home in the new country. And, per-haps, they were wondering what the future would have for them in their new home.
Thus, boys and girls, Cape Ann had its beginning in 1623. From this humble little settlement grew the Massachusetts Bay Colony and our own splendid state. You and I know her present history. Of her future we have no fear. May we strive to keep her record clean!
ANNABELLE E. STEVENSON.