SAILOR FISHERMEN OF NEW ENGLAND. 95 



Prior to 1S40 almost all the fishing vessels of New England were owned in large part by the 

 fishermen themselves. In 1850, in the larger ports, like Gloucester, Portland, and Proviucetown, 

 the control of the vessels passed to a great extent into the hands of capitalists, or owners, as 

 they are called. In the smaller ports, including mostof those on the coast of Maine audConnecti 

 cut, the fishing vessels are still owned almost entirely by the fishermen themselves. In the whal- 

 ing fleet the change has not been so radical. As might be supposed, this fishery has almost 

 always been under the control of capitalists. The outlay for building and provisioning vessels so 

 large and so long absent from port is ordinarily beyond the means of men who are willing to undergi i 

 the hardships of the fishery. 



At present, the majority of the vessels engaged in the Grand Bank cod fishery, hailing from 

 Proviucetown, Plymouth, Beverly, and the ports of Maine, as well as many of those from Glouces- 

 ter, are manned chiefly by fishermen who are hired by the trip or paid monthly wages. In all the 

 other fisheries the crew, as a rule, " go upon shares,' - ' receiving at the end of the season (but in 

 Gloucester, and occasionally in other ports, at the end of the trip) a specified proportion of the 

 proceeds from the sale of the vessel's catch. 



The universal adoption of this practice in Gloucester has had the effect of drawing from other 

 ports many of the most capable of their fishermen. These men prefer to realize at once the amount 

 which they have earned rather than to wait until the end of the season, becoming indebted to the 

 capitalists for the supplies needed by themselves and families, thus placing themselves somewhat 

 at the mercy of these men if they choose to be exacting. This is especially the case with the 

 younger men, who want their money as fast as they earn it. 



Fishermen's earnings. — The statistics of the Gloucester fisheries for 1879 show that the 

 average earnings of each fisherman amounted to $175. This amount, however, is below the aver- 

 age annual earnings, and does not give a fair idea of the amount that can be earned by a man in 

 a year, or of the amount that is ordinarily earned by a successful fisherman. 



In the "Fisherman's Memorial and Record Book" may be found the record of a large number 

 of "big trips" in the George's mackerel and haddock fisheries. In many instances the share of 

 each member of the crew is mentioned. In the Grand Bank halibut fishery for salt fish, in one 

 instance, the vessel was absent twelve weeks, and the crew shared $286 each. In another, after 

 five months' absence, $326; in another, after fourteen weeks, $257 each. 



Allusion is also made to " big trips" in the fresh -halibut fishery on the Banks. In one instance 

 the "high line," or most successful of the crew, realized $1,300 as his share of the year's stock; in 

 another each of the crew shared $858. On a single trip in 1871 the crew shared $213 each, being 

 absent five weeks, a'nd on another, occupying nine weeks, $363. In another instance, on a trip of 

 thirty-four days, $236; in another of twenty days, $171 ; in another of four weeks, $161. 



The largest amount made by one man on a George's trip is recorded at $243. These trips 

 occupy from two to three weeks. Other iustanees are given where these trips yielded $125 to 

 $160. The largest season's share mentioned was in 1865, when the "high line" made in the year 

 $1,105, and the cook $1,402. 



Much larger average shares have been made by successful mackerel men. Several instances 

 are mentioned in which the "high-liner's" share ranged from $260 to $575 for a summer's work. 



In the haddock fishery, occupying four or five months of the winter season, instances arc men 

 tioned where the crew shared from $377 to $560 each. 



It should be stated that in all of these instances the profits of the skipper of the vessel, includ- 

 ing captain's commission, are usually double the share of any member of the crew. 



It will be seen, also, that men engaging in summer in the mackerel fishery, and in winter 



