QUEEN ANNE'S MOOSE.
(From Old Massachusetts Records.)


Sprague' Journal of Maine History
Vol. VII
May June July 1919
No. 1
pages 42-43

QUEEN ANNE'S MOOSE.
(From Old Massachusetts Records.)

At a Council held at the Council-chamber in Boston, upon Thursday, the 13th 
of November, 1712, present:  His Excellency Joseph Dudley, Esq'r, Gov'r; 
the Hon'ble William Tailer, Esq'r Lieut. Gov'r; & of ye Council, Elisha Hutchinson, 
Peter Sergeant, Penn Townsend, Joseph Lynde, Andrew Belch, El'm Hutchinson, 
Isaac Addington, Esq'rs; present, also, the Hon'ble Govern'r Saltonstall, of 
Connecticut; Captain Elford, of the Hector man of war.

His Excellency acquainted the gentlemen that he had yesterday received a 
letter from Captain Elford, importing that he was commanded by the Lord of 
Admiralty to transport to Great Britain, in her Majesty's ship Hector under his 
command, three moose, deer that are upon Fisher's Island and that the ship 
is at New Yorke, fifty leagues distant from the said island.

Captain Elford then further acquainted the gentlemen present that it is 
impracticable at this season of the year to bring the queen's ship around from 
New Yorke to Fisher's Island, to take in the said moose deer, without utmost 
hazard of her Majesty's said ship.  Governour Saltonstall informed that the 
stag moose were lately killed by his on unruliness, but that the dam and the 
young stag were well and fit to be transported.

It's concluded that there is no method for transporting the said moose to New 
Yorke but in a large open boat, of which there are numbers at New Yorke; 
and that his Excellency Governour Hunter be desired forthwith to send on 
such boat, well man'd, for that purpose, and an officer to oversee and take 
care of their transportation to New Yorke, Governour Saltonstall declaring 
there is no open boat within his government capable of that service; that 
the Honourable Governour Saltonstall be desired to direct Captain John 
Prentice, of New London, whoe he named for that end, to take such assistance 
as he shall think necessary to see the said moose deer well ship'd off, with the 
advice of Governour Hunter's officer and one officer from Captain Elford, and 
that Governour Saltonstall shall furnish hay & oates necessary for their passage; 
that a letter, with a copy of this agreement and resolve, be sent to Major 
Winthrop, or his son, at New London, to be ready to deliver the said moose 
accordingly; and another copy be sent to Governour Hunter, and copys of the 
same be given to Governour Saltonstall and Captain Elford by the Secretary; 
that the matter may be effected with all care possible.*

ISA. ADDINGTON, Sec'ry.

*The united efforts of three provincial Governors failed in delivering these 
moose on board the Hector, as shown by a letter without address, dated April 1, 1714, 
and signed by J Burchett, Secretary of the Admiralty.  He recites the failure of 
Captain Elford to bring home three moose deer "procured by Gen'll Nicholson 
for the Queen, and kept on an island in New England belonging to Major Gen'll 
Wait Winthrop"; and de directs his correspondent (evidently the captain of 
another man of war) to notify Major-General Winthrop and the Governor of 
Connecticut that a fresh attempt must be made to ship them, or such of them as 
after so long an interval may still be living.  The following reference to them o
ccurs in a letter to Wait Winthrop from his son, dated New London, August 20, 
1713:  "Deacon Plum cam just now to tell me y't Havens and Latham, &c., was 
terrified by ye buck mooses running at them last Sabbath day, and they drove 
them into ye water, and chast them about with a canoe till they tyred them, and 
then w'th a saw cut off ye buck's hornes; and he immediately gott ashore and 
dyed in a moment.  This is y'r story.  They are a company of base, distracted 
fellows, and I doubt, it being a very hott day, that they surfetted ye poor creature, 
or else kill'd him with clubs.  And I am afraid they did it because the creature had 
bitt some of y'r corne, and to get ridd of them.  They kil'd ye other ye last year 
after such a mad, imprudent manner.  And if ye Queen should send a ship on 
purpose for them, what should we doe?  Doubtless Nicholson will have some 
orders about them.  It is a great misfortune to us to have them come to such an 
end after all ye noyse has been made about them."--Eds.



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