Cape Cod harbour is formed by the bending of the land, from Pamet river to Long point, nearly round every point of the compass: it is completely land-locked. The distance from Long point to the shore of Truro is four miles; and from the same point to the town, two miles. The depth of water in the anchoring ground is from three to fourteen fathoms: the best holding ground is in four fathoms and a half. Vessels anchor about three quarters of a mile from the town. The head of the harbour is toward Wood end. There are here flats extending three quarters of a mile from the shore. Flats lie all along the shore; but do not reach so far, except at East harbour, where they also extend three quarters of a mile. In sailing from Race point, at the distance of a half of a mile from it, into the harbour, the course is south-southeast, till the light-house bears east by north. Keep this course the distance of two miles. Then run north-east, till the light-house bears east by south. After which steer north-west into the harbour.* A creek, called the Mill creek, because there was formerly a mill on it, runs into the western part of the harbour. It is about a mile in length, and is nearly dry at low water. Common tides in the harbour rise twelve feet. This harbour and the waters near it afford a great variety and abundance of excellent and profitable fishes. Herrings are caught, principally in the harbour, from the first of October to the first of December. Last year, between five and six thousand barrels were taken: worth about four dollars a barrel. Bass are caught in the harbour, and sometimes on the outside of Wood end, from the first of May till the last of November; about three hundred quintals annually, beside what are daily eaten by the inhabitants worth four dollars a quintal. The first mackerel, which are carried to Boston market in the spring, are taken in the harbour; and yield a handsome profit, though the Boston marketmen purchase them of the inhabitants of Provincetown at about a quarter of what For directions for sailing from Boston light house to Cape Cod, the distance between which is fifteen leagues, see Capt. J. F. Williams's Chart. what they are sold for in the capital. Three hundred barrels are every year pickled and sent to Boston. The mackerel, bass, and herring are caught with seines, of which there are about fifty in the town, and which cost a hundred dollars each. Another seine, worth six dollars, is made use of for catching mackerel in the spring, and herring for bait. Of this kind there are about two hundred. Beside the boats belonging to the fishing vessels, there are a dozen whaleboats, and about a hundred more of the same form, but shorter. The latter catch, annually, about thirty quintals of cod-fish each, chiefly off Wood end. Two or three whales, producing about a hundred barrels of oil, are every year caught in the harbour. Black fish are now seldom obtained. About two hundred sharks are annually caught at Race point, and yield, one with another, four gallons of oil. There is a large shark in the harbour, named the bone-shark, and similar in shape to the man-eating shark, but harmless five or six are taken in a year. The other fishes in the harbour, and on the coast, are the sturgeon, eels of a superiour quality, and in great abundance, haddock, tom-cod, pollock, flounder, halibut, drummer, manhadon, horse-mackerel, dog-fish, and several more, enumerated in the Description of Truro.* No cusk, blue-fish, sheep's-head, tautaug, sea-perch, are found in the harbour. There are muscles, sea-clams, and quahaugs; but neither oysters nor small clams. The greatest part of the clam bait is brought from Orleans, Eastham, and Wellfleet. Lobsters, of an excellent quality, are obtained in great abundance on both sides of Long point. Five vessels are constantly employed in catching them, and carrying them to the market of New York. Two smacks go with them to the Boston market. Several barrels are pickled, and sent to the former place. In 1790, the inhabitants "employed about twenty vessels in the cod-fishery." They now possess thirty-three vessels, one of which is a brig, one a sloop, and the rest schooners: their number of tons is seventeen hundred and twenty-two. Two or three of these vessels are occasionally engaged in the merchants' ser * Coll. Hist. Soc. Vol. III. p. 199. vice. Beside which, four other vessels, containing about three hundred tons, partly owned in Provincetown and partly in Boston, are also employed in the cod-fishery, and fit out, and obtain their crews from this place. The fishing vessels go to the banks of Newfoundland, the coast of Labrador, and the bay of Chaleur; and they bring home annually about thirty-three thousand quintals of fish, which are worth, a quintal, about three dollars and a third. This business employs three hundred men and boys; a quarter of whom belong to other places. Five or six of the vessels are engaged partly in the cod-fishery, and partly in the whale-fishery the whale-fishery, however, is small, and yields little profit. About half of the fish caught from the vessels are cured at Provincetown. All the provisions and stores for the vessels and men are procured in Boston; and the greatest part of the fish sold in the same place. Eight thousand hogsheads of salt are used in the fisheries. Sea fowls were formerly plenty on the shores; but they have been so frequently molested, that their numbers are much reduced. The town is a mile and a half long. More than two thirds of the dwelling houses are built close to the harbour a few stand back in vallies; but none of them far from the shore. The number of dwelling houses is a hundred and forty-four,* eight of which are within the limits. of Truro. Two of the houses only are two stories in height. Most of these houses are new, neat, painted, and well finished. When the census was taken in 1800, there were eight hundred and twelve souls. At present, there are a hundred and ninety-eight families. If there be the same proportion between the families and souls as there was in 1790,† the number of the inhabitants now must be nine hundred and forty-six. There are ninety stores, in which fish is deposited, five houses for the smoking of herring, four or five shops, twenty barns, and two windmills. One of the windmills goes with fliers in the inside, and appears like a large and lofty * The number of dwelling houses and families in Dennis, Orleans, Eastham, and Provincetown, as given in this volume, is from actual enumeration. + Sec. U. S. Census for 1790, p. 29. lofty tower. As it stands on a high hill, it is seen at a great distance; and to seamen entering the harbour is a conspicuous object. The number of salt works is given in the Description of Dennis. Provincetown is remarkably well situated for carrying on this useful manufacture. The works are erected close to the dwelling houses, directly under the eye of the owners, and can be covered and uncovered with little expense of time: They stand under the sand. hills, which face the south, and reflect on them a strong heat; add to which, that no fresh streams run into the harbour, the water of which must be as salt as that of the ocean. The effect of these causes is, that the same number of superficial feet yield more salt, the water evaporating faster, than in any other part of the county. The township is the property of the state, and titles are first obtained by possession and improvement. So many houses and works have been erected, and the town is in so flourishing a situation, that building spots now sell at a high price they are transferred by quit-claim deeds. The other buildings are, a house erected by King Hiram's lodge of free masons, in 1795, the upper apartment of which is a well finished hall, and the lower story of which is divided into two rooms, appropriated to school houses two other school houses: a decent Congregational meeting house, erected in 1793 and a small Methodist meeting house. The Methodists, who appeared to flourish awhile, are reduced to twelve families. The climate and diseases of Provincetown do not differ materially from those of other parts of the county. The air, though naturally pure, is rendered unpleasant by the fish flakes which surround the houses. In the year 1794, a fever proved very mortal. It is supposed to have been occasioned by a number of sharks, which were left to putrefy on the shore near the town. At present, the inhabitants appear to be attentive in removing such disgusting objects out of the way. Cape Cod was originally a part of Truro. In 1714, it was made a district or precinct, and put under the constablerick of that town. It was incorporated into a township, by the name of Provincetown, June 14th. 1727, 1727, and invested with peculiar privileges, the inhabitants being exempted from taxation. At that time, and for ten or twelve years after, it was a flourishing place, containing a number of dwelling houses, and several shops and stores. Not long after this period, the inhabitants began to forsake the town; and before the year 1748, it was reduced to two or three families. In 1755, it contained about ten dwelling houses. No notice is taken of it in the census of 1764. In 1776, there were in it thirty-six families, two hundred and five souls, and about twenty dwelling houses. It remained in a state of depression during the revolutionary war; in the former period of which it was in a great measure in the power of the enemy, who, whenever they pleased, entered the harbour, and exacted those supplies, which the inhabitants were able to furnish. When the blessings of peace at length returned, it began to lift up its head; and without meeting with any remarkable misfortune to check its progress, it has gradually risen to its present state of prosperity. During the former flourishing period of Provincetown Mr. Spear was the minister. His flock having forsaken him, he was compelled at last to remove. The church remained without a pastor a long time; but was occasionally supplied with preachers, the province paying twenty pounds a year for the support of the gospel. January 20th. 1774, Rev. Samuel Parker was ordained; and for twelve years, received, annually, forty-five pounds from the government. Since that period the pastor has been supported entirely by the inhabitants. r. s. A CALCULATION OF THE STATE OF THE COD AND 300 vessels in the cod-fishery caught 102,265 Sterling. £.61,359 00 62,007 06 123,366 06 (Carried over. |