May 18, 1664-he was chosen ensign of the Salem foot company. 1665-a searcher, sealer and gauger.* Oct. 15, 1679-he is ordered to collect 12d. per ton of all vessels of more than 12 tons burthen for support of the public fortifications; (this was called powder money). In this office he was succeeded by Benjamin Gerrish in 1684. Oct. 12, 1681-William Bowditch, collector of taxes, having died suddenly, intestate, Mr. Veren, Wm. Browne and Mr. Gedney, were appointed a committee to examine his books and collect arrears.

During the last twenty-five years of his life his official duties were numerous, important and laborious. Essex County had grown rapidly in population and trade. But notwithstanding the increase of court business and of commerce, Mr. Veren personally performed, thoroughly and neatly, all the duties of clerk of the writs, clerk of the courts, register of deeds, register of probate and collector of customs, besides what time he devoted to his pri vate business as a merchant and what was ab

sorbed by his relations to the church and the

militia..

The first books of Probate Records for Salem are in his own hand writing. These begin in 1671; and there is a tradition that the earlier books were destroyed by fire, though it is more probable that they are now existing in some garret or antiquarian cabinet.f

* Felt.

+ It is possible that there were no earlier probate records for Salem than those mentioned above. The act of Sept. 9, 1639-passed probably on the recommendation of Lechford, (see his Plain Dealing)— made provision for recording judgments, wills, administrations, inventories, births, marriages, deaths and "men's houses and lands." To the office of Recorder Stephen Winthrop was appointed at Boston, for the whole Colony, it appears. Oct. 7, 1640, Mr. Emanuel Downing was appointed Recorder for Salem Court, under the act to prevent fraudulent conveyances, passed at that date. He was to "enter all bargains, sales, &c., of all lands, &c.," "the rest to be entered by Mr. Stephen Winthrop of Boston." By the act then he seems to have had no authority to record anything but deeds and assurances of land,

Mr. Veren married, April 12, 1641, Mary Conant, cousin of Roger Conant,* the pioneer settler of Salem, and by her he had three daughters and one son, Hilliard, jr., who died at sea between November, 1679, and June, 1680, aged something over thirty years.†

About 1650 he built the house known in later years as the "Henfield House," which stood back of the old First Meeting House, and was taken down when the Eastern Railroad tunnel was constructed under Washington street, about 1838 or 9. His last entry in the records bears date December 4, 1683. He died only sixteen days after and was buried in the Charter street burying-ground, where his grave stone still stands.

(To be continued.)

FIRST VOYAGE TO JAPAN

BY J. F. ALLEN.

The following account of the voyage of the ship Margaret, of Salem, to Japan, in the year 1801, is compiled from the private journal of the late &EORGE CLEVELAND, Esq., who sailed in the Margaret as captain's clerk, and who for many years in the later period of his life, was known and respected of all men here, as the President of the Commercial Insurance Company.

Of the individuals named as part of the ship's company, on leaving Salem, James Stewart the lat officer, and Anthony D. Caulfield, did not go to Japan in the ship, but were detailed at Batavia to go to the Isle of France and charter a vessel and bring her to Batavia, to meet the Margaret on her return there, and assist in bringing home, the returns of the voyage to Japan.

MR. CLEVELAND'S JOURNAL

In the autumn of 1890, the ship Margaret, built by Mr. Beeket, of this town, and owned by the late

and he may have so understood it, being a lawyer, though the act was elsewhere construed to authorize the several Recorders to register wills, &c., as well

as deeds.

* Vide will of Roger Conant, Essex Prob. Rec. Farmer says the son died about one month before father, but his will was proved June, 1680.

See Salem Register of June 17, 1839.

Col. Benj. Pickman, John Derby, Esq., and Capt. Samuel Derby, who was to command her, was launched. On the 25th November we left Salem Harbor, bound to the East Indies, and probably a finer, a better fitted, or better manned ship, never left the port before. We carried 6 guns and 20 men; most of the erew were fine young men, in the bloom of youth. I will enumerate those who lived many years after, namely: S. G. Derby, captain Thomas West, 2d mate, L. Stetson, carpenter, Samuel Rea, Joseph Preston, Israel Phippen, Anthony D. Caulfield, P. Dwyer, Thatcher, and myself. Wm. Messervey was shipped in Batavia, and returned to Salem in the ship. (Most of these names are familiar to the present generation as those of commanders of ships.) We soon found on leaving port what a fast sailing ship the Margaret was. When we were out eleven days we fell in with the barque Two Brothers, captain John Holman, who had left Salem some days before us, bound to Leghorn. We made bim ahead in the afternoon, steering the same course we were, and before night we were up alongside and spoke Lim. The next day, we fell in with a fleet of merchantmen, convoyed by a frigate. As we bad to cross the track of these vessels, the frigate, which was under very short sail, kept all snug until she had got into our wake, when she set all sail in chase, but we distanced her so much that in a very short time she gave it up, took in her sails, and reJoined the fleet.

On the 4th February, 1801, we anchored in Table Bay, Cape of Good Hopc. We saluted the admiral's ship, which civility was returned. On the 10th February, we left, bound to Sumatra, and found it difficult to get to the westward, as winds and currents were against us, and, after a tedious passage, we anchored in Bencoolen Roads, on the 10th of April, 1801, after being 136 days from Salem, including our stoppage at the Cape. As nothing could be done to advantage here, we proceeded to Batavia, and arrived there on the 25th of April.

Captain Derby rocn made a bargain with the agents of the East India Company, to take the annual freights to and from Japan, and as it was the custom from time immemorial that the Japan ship should sail on a certain day, and as that day was scme time ahead, it was necessary to find some employment for the vessel previously, as it was dangerous to the health of crews to be lying any time in Batavia roads. The Company offered captain Derby a freight of Coffee from a port a short distance to the eastward, which he readily accepted. This wore away twelve or fourteen days of the time, and added to the profits

of the voyage. I remained at Batavia during the absence of the ship. The cargo for Japan, consisted of a great variety of articles, such as the Dutch had been in the habit of shipping for nearly two centuries. It was composed of sugar, spices, sapan wood, sandal wood, rattans, glass and glass ware, cloths, medicines and various other articles; and as every thing was to be done according to a prescribed rule, and we were not to sail until a certain day in June, we had time enough to do all things right as regards receiving and stowing the cargo. We weighed anchor at 8 A.M., on the 20th June, 1801. We had as a passenger, a young Dutchman, who was going out as clerk to the establishment in Japan. On the morning of July 16th, made the Islands of Casique and St. Clara, which are near the harbour of Nangasacca, our destined port. On the 18th, two fishing boats came along side and supplied us with fish. On Sunday, 19th, we were so near, that we hoisted twenty different colors, and in the afternoon, entered the harbor of Nangasacca. We had much ceremony to go through, in entering this port, which is considered indispenstble; among other things to fire several salutes.

The day after our arrival, I landed on the island of Decima, a little island connected with the city of Nangasacca, by a bridge; it is walled all round, and here the Dutch residents are obliged to pass their lives. Provisions are very dear, as every thing had to pass through the hands of a compradore and he no doubt put upon them a large profit. We had excellent sweet potatoes and mackerel, and sometimes pork and fowls, and the bread was as good as any country could produce. Capt. Derby, Mr. West and myself, carried several articles of merchandize, on our own account. This has always been allowed to the Dutch Captains, but then the sale of these articles must be made by the Japanese Government. All these articles were landed on the island, opened and displayed in a ware house, and on certain days the merchants were allowed to go on the Island to examine them. Nothing could exceed the minuteness with which they examined every thing. Among other articles we had a quantity of tumblers and wine glasses; these they measured with the greatest care, running their fingers over every part to determine what irregularities there were on the surface, and then holding each piece up to the light to see the color. They also made drawings of the different description of pieces. After this investigation, they marked on their memorandums the number of the lot and the result of their investigations. Every thing we had to sell went through a similar

gum and oil and then is turned up on top of the head, where it is secured with various turtle-shell

ornaments.

The Japanese observed one fast when we were there. It was in remembrance of the dead. The ceremonies were principally in the night. The first

of which was devoted to feasting, at which they fancy their friends to be present; the second and third nights the graves, which are lighted with paper lamps and situated as they are on the side of a hill, make a most brilliant appearance. On the fourth night, at 3 o'clock, the lamps are all brought down to the water and put into small straw barques, with paper sails, made for the occasion, and after putting in rice, fruit, &c., they are set afloat. This exhibition was yery fine. They on the death of

their parents abstain from flesh and fish forty-nine days, and on the anniversary they keep the same fast, but do not do it for any other relations.

As the time was approaching for our departure we began to receive our returns from the interior, brought many hundred miles. These consisted of the most beautiful lacquered ware, such as waiters, writing desks, tea caddies, knife boxes, tables, &c., &c. These were packed in boxes so neat, that in any other country they would be considered cabinet work. We also received a great variety of silks, fans in large quantities, a great variety of porcelain, and house brooms of superior quality. The East India Company's cargo had been loading some time previous. The principal article was copper in small bars; other things were camphor, soy, sacky, porce lain, etc., etc. The company's ships have been obliged to take their departure from the anchorage opposite Nangasacca on a certain day to the lower roads, no matter whether it blew high or low, fair or foul, even if a gale, and a thousand boats should be required to tow them down. We of course had to do as our predecessors had done. Early in Noyember we went to this anchorage and remained a few days, when we sailed for Batavia, where we arrived safely after a passage of one month,

olution are intensely interesting to the student of American History. From 1760 to 1775,more historical events of importance occurred, than during any other like period of our history. The most stirring scenes, preceding and precipitating the Revolution, were crowded into this brief space of time. On both sides of the Atlantic men of mark appeared. Of the Tories, in England, were North, Dartmouth, Grenville, Hilsborough, &c.; while Bernard, Hutchinson, the Olivers, Gage, Bernard, &c., were prominent in the same school of politics here. Of the Whigs in the old country, Chatham, Camden, Burke and Col. Barre were conspicuous; while here occur James Otis, O. Thatcher, the Adamses, Hancock, Warren, Bowdoin, Cushing and others, seemed alike honored and trusted, as tribunes of the people,among the Colonial patriots.

During this period, and just following the French war, (which in 1759 terminated French dominion in America) the effort to enforce the acts of trade, and thus raise a revenue to pay Colonial expenses consequent on this war, seemed to be the cardinal policy of the British Ministry. Hence the non-importation agreement of the N. E. merchants; the passage of the Stamp Act and its repeal, with the unwise and impolitic reservation of the right to tax the Colonies without representation; Writs of Assistance for Revenue Officers or substitutes

therefor; the ruin of Hutchinson's, the Oliver's and others' property; the resignation of Oliver as Stamp Distributor; the presence in September, 1765, of Col. Dalrymple's two regiments; the destruction of the Tea in Boston Harbor; the Boston Town Meeting and its doings; the Boston Port Bill; Leslie's Retreat and the Assembly at Salem; the affair of Lexington and Concord, April 19, 1775; of Bunker Hill, June 17, 1775; and finally the Dec

SALEM CUSTOM HOUSE.

many and such grave events, resulting from British policy, and all crowded into this par

26, 1860.

BY DAVID ROBERTS.

The fifteen years, prior to the American Rev

for anything brought to light, which may, by possibility, tend to illustrate it.

These general topics may be fully discussed