wellboat

— [T]hough the people fiſhed ever ſo often, they could never find any ſigns of lobſters being in this part of the ſea: they were therefore continually brought in great wellboats from New England, where they are plentiful; but it happened that one of theſe wellboats broke in pieces near Hellgate, about ten Engliſh miles from New York, and all the lobſters in it got off. Since that time they have ſo multiplied in this part of the ſea, that they are now caught in the greateſt abundance.