24 FISHERMEN OF THE UNITED STATES. 



The oyster tougers are one-third negroes, and the other two thirds white fishermen, small farmers, 

 and truckers. 



The number of men in a crew of a dredger averages eight ; in the crew of a scraper, not more 

 than three. The total number of men employed in dredging equals 5,600, and in scraping 5,148. 

 The average returns for a season for each dredger is $175; for each scraper, $223. 



13. THE OYSTER-SHUCKERS OF MARYLAND. 



Oyster siiuckers. — There are nearly 10,000 persons employed in oyster-shucking in Mary- 

 land, about two thirds of the number being males, and the rest females. Their aggregate annual 

 earnings are about $800,000. About three-fourths of the men are negroes, and they are, as a rule, 

 steady workmen, while the whites are disposed to be idle and intemperate. Nearly all the females 

 are employed in the steam oyster-houses of Baltimore. They are mostly white girls of foreign 

 parentage, and range in age from eighteen to twenty-five years, the proportion of older ones, as of 

 colored, being small. 



14. THE FISHERMEN OF FLORIDA. 

 BY SILAS STEARNS. 



Fishermen of Key West. — The majority of the fishermen of Key West are descendants 

 of the Bahamians who have lived on the island for many years, or are quite recently from the 

 Bahama Islands. 



The remainder are Cuban Spaniards, negroes from the West Indies, and the usual sprinkling 

 of Irish, French, Germans, and Swedes, who are found everywhere in this country. 



There are some few fishermen from the North Atlantic States, but they do not form so promi- 

 nent a class as the "Bahama Conchs," or the "West Indian negroes." 



The Bahamians, both black and white, have been brought up on the water, and are probably 

 the best boatmen and fishermen in this region. They know no other professions than fishing, 

 sponging, turtling, aud wrecking; and it may he said to he an hereditary profession, since their 

 lathers and forefathers followed the same profession and no others. With the other classes or 

 nationalities it is quite different. They are men who have been drifting about the world as sailors, 

 and have been left here by vessels of all the nations, and for the present have adopted the 

 profession of fishermen. 



I can not learn of any disaster happening to the Key West fishermen, beyond an occasional 

 wrecking of some small vessel where no lives were lost. No smacks sailing out of this port have 

 ever been lost. 



The manner in which the fishermen live on shore is plain, yet comfortable. The better class, 

 or well-to do fishermen, are the Bahamians aDd Americans who have families. They own small, 

 comfortable houses in the city, and have all to eat and wear that other classes of people do. 



In society they occupy a good standing, and very often hold responsible and honorable offices 

 in the local government. 



Another class, consisting chiefly of young and unmarried men, who are dissipated, and when 

 ashore lead an unprofitable and low lite, are looked down upon with contempt and considered a 

 public nuisance. The temperance reform has done great good here, and is rapidly thinning out 

 their numbers. 



The older men of all classes are generally very ignorant, but few being able to write their 

 names, but the young people, having fair school advantages, are, as a rule, quite intelligent, and 

 can now transact their own business as their fathers never could. 



