Genealogical notes of Barnstable families - citizen hylbom blog

308 GENEAIXJGICAL NOTES OF BAHNSTABLE FAMILIES.
food. Every sailor knows that the gale which would drive a
vessel from the Capes of Virginia to Cape Cod, would enable a
captain of very moderate attainments to havp made a harbor either
in the Chespeake or in Delaware Bay, or to have reached the port
of New York. Like many other villains, he did not see the goal
to which his base conduct inevitably led. When off the Capes of
Virginia he had wit enough to perceive the difBculty in which he
was involved. If he listened to his passengers, and made for the
port of Philadelphia, he would have been immediately ari-ested on
his arrival, and his only alternative was to keep his ship at sea,
avoid speaking any vessel, and persist in his diabolical purpose.
The New England Weekly Journal, printed at Boston Nov.
10, 1729, contains the following notice of the arrival of the
George and Ann
"We hear from Martha's Vineyard that some time last month
Capt. Lothrop, in his passage from this place (Boston) to that
island, off of Monomoy espied a vessel which put out a signal of
distress to them. He making up to her went aboard ; found her to
be a vessel from Ireland, bound for Philadelphia, (as they said)
who had been from thence 20 weeks and brought out 190 passengers,
30 of whom were children, being destitute of provision,
(having then but 15 biscuit on board), 100 of them were starved
to death, among which were all the children except one, and the
remainder of the passengers looked very ghastfully. They craved
hard for water, of which one drank to that degree that he soon
after died ; and two more died while Capt. Lothrop was aboard.
Only three of the sailors were aiive (besides the master and mate)
and they sick. They entreated him to pilot them into the first
harbor they could get into, but the master was for bringing them
to Boston. They told him if he would not let the pilot carry
them into what place he should think fit, they would throw him
overboard ; upon which Capt. Lothrop having brought the vessel
off of Sandy Point, told them there was but one house near, and
spoke of going somewhere else, but they were all urgent to put
them ashore anywhere, if it were but land. Accordingly he
carried them in and left them there, with provisions ; 'tis thought
many are since dead. Notwithstanding their extremity, and the
sad spectacles of death before their eyes, and a near prospect of
their own, 'twas astonishing to behold their impenitence, and to
hear their profane speeches."
The renowned Capt. John Smith, and other early navigators,
speak of Isle Nauset, which in ancient times extended from the
entrance to Nauset harbor, south about four miles. Deep navigable
waters now occupy its location. The loose sands of which
it was composed have been carried southward by the currents, or
blown inward, covering up the meadows, which for many years
have been seen croping out on the eastern side of the beach, which