DESCRIPTION OF VINAL HAVEN--POPULATION AND PURSUIT OF THE PEOPLE--GREAT
VARIETY OF FISH--THE INTRODUCTION OF THE GOSPEL.
The town of Vinal Haven includes both North and South Fox Islands, in
lat. 44° north, and long. 69° 10' east. The population numbered, at the
time of my visit, about 1,800. The inhabitants were intelligent and
industrious, and hospitable to strangers. They got most of their wealth
and living by fishing. The town fitted out over one hundred licensed
sailing vessels, besides smaller craft.
North Fox Island is nine miles long by two miles in width and had a
population of 800. They had a post office, one store, a Baptist church
and meeting-house, four school-houses, and a tide grist mill.
The land was rather poor, yet there were some good farms. The products
were wheat, barley, oats, potatoes and grass. The principal timber
was fir, spruce, hemlock and birch. Raspberries and gooseberries grew
in great abundance, and some up-land cranberries were raised. The
principal stock of the island were sheep.
South Fox Island comes as near being without any definite form as any
spot on earth I ever saw. It would be difficult for any person to
describe it. It is about ten miles in length by five in width, and is
one universal mass of rocks, formed into shelves, hills, and valleys,
and cut up into necks and points to make room for the coves and harbors
that run through and through the island.
The population was 1,000. The inhabitants got their living entirely by
fishing. There is no chance for farming upon the island, and but a few
garden patches, which are cultivated at great expense. Some few sheep
are raised there.
Many of the inhabitants fish in the region of Newfoundland, and bring
their fish home and cure them on flakes and prepare them for the
market. They supply the market with great quantities of cod, mackerel
and boxed herring.
Upon this island there were two stores, three tide saw mills, six
school houses and a small branch of the Methodist church, presided over
by a priest.
What timber there is upon this island, such as pine, fir, spruce,
hemlock and birch, and the whortleberries, raspberries and
gooseberries, mostly grows out of the cracks of the rocks.
Great quantities of fish, and in almost endless variety, inhabit the
coves and harbors around the island. The whale, blackfish, shark,
ground shark, pilot-fish, horse mackerel, sturgeon, salmon, halibut,
cod, pollock, tom cod, hake, haddock, mackerel, shad bass, alewife,
herring, pohagen, dolphin, whiting, frost-fish, flounders, smelt,
skate, shrimp, skid, cusk, blueback, scollop, dogfish, muttonfish,
lumpfish, squid, five-fingers, monkfish, horsefish, sunfish, swordfish,
thresher, cat, scuppog, tootog, eyefish, cunner, ling, also the eel,
lobster, clam, muscle, periwinkle, porpoise, seal, etc., are found
there.
Thus I have given a brief description of Vinal Haven. It was quite dark
when we landed there, without a farthing in money. We made our way over
the rocks and through the cedars the best way we could, until we found
a house, when we rapped at the door. A woman put her head out of the
window and asked who was there and what was wanted.
I told her we were two strangers, and wanted a bed to lie down upon
until morning.
She let us in and gave us a bed, and we slept until quite late, it
being Sunday morning. When we came out and took breakfast it was nearly
noon. I asked what she charged for our entertainment, and she replied
that we were welcome.
I then asked her if there was any religion or minister or church on the
island.
She informed me there was a Baptist minister, by the name of Newton,
who had a congregation and a meeting-house about five miles from there.
We thanked her for her kindness, walked to the meeting-house and
stepped inside the doorway. We stood there until a deacon came to
the door, when I asked him to go and tell the minister in the pulpit
that there were two servants of God at the door, who had a message to
deliver to that people and wished the privilege of delivering it.
He sent for us to come to the pulpit, so we walked through the
congregation with our valises under our arms, and took a seat by the
side of the minister, who was about to speak as we came to the door.
He arose and delivered his discourse to the people, occupying about
half an hour. When he closed he asked me what was my wish.
I told him we wished to speak to the people at any hour that would
suit his or their convenience; so he gave notice that there were two
strangers present who would speak to the people at five o'clock that
evening.
We were quite a source of wonderment to the people, as they had no idea
who we were.
Mr. Newton asked us to go home to tea with him, and we gladly accepted
the invitation. When we arrived at his house I opened my valise and
took out the Bible, Book of Mormon and Doctrine and Covenants, laid
them upon the table, and took my seat.
Mr. Newton took up the books and looked at them, but said nothing. I
then asked him if there were any school houses upon the island, and if
so, whether they were free to preach in.
He answered that there were four, numbered respectively from one to
four, and that they were free.
Mr. Newton and family accompanied us to the meeting-house, where we met
a large congregation, none of whom knew who we were or anything about
our profession, except the minister.
Elder Hale and I went to the stand, and I arose with peculiar feelings,
and addressed the congregation for one hour, taking for my text
_Galatians_ i. 8-9.
This was the first time that I or any other Elder of the Church of
Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints had (to my knowledge) attempted
to preach the fullness of the gospel and the Book of Mormon to the
inhabitants of any island of the sea.
I had much liberty in speaking, and informed the people that the Lord
had raised up a prophet and organized His Church as in the days of
Christ and the ancient apostles, with prophets, apostles and the gifts
as anciently, and that He had brought forth the Book of Mormon.
At the close of my remarks Elder Hale bore testimony.
I gave liberty for any one to speak that might wish to. As no one
responded, I announced that we would hold meetings the next four
evenings in the school-houses, beginning at No. 1.