ECONOMIC SOCIAL 125 



forced the boats through the ice when 

 Washington crossed the Delaware and sur- 

 prised Trenton, 1 and it was from the rank 

 of the fishermen that most of the privateers 

 in the War of 1812 were manned. When 

 the "Constitution" bore down on the 

 "Guerriere," eighty Marblehead fishermen 

 stood on her decks. The real fisherman 

 rarely cared to ship on the merchant service; 

 he missed the danger and excitement of his 

 favorite pursuit. What were steady wages 

 and a good balance at the end of the season, 

 compared with the chance of being "high 

 line" of the fleet or a race home from 

 the banks with some long-time rival! No 

 wonder the Marblehead fishermen stood 

 bravely to their guns on the deck of the 

 "Constitution." The annual loss of life on 

 the fishing fleet of Gloucester and Marble- 

 head was greater than sufficed to take the 

 three British frigates, "Macedonian," 

 " Java " and " Guerriere." There was little 

 money made in the fishing business. Vast 

 1 Roads, History of Marblehead, p. 242. 



