110 FISHERMEN OF THE UNITED STATES. 



Spars and sails carried away. — The danger of losing masts and rigging has already 

 been considered. Spars and sails are, however, often carried away under other circumstances. 

 Accidents of this sort are liable to occur at all times, though naturally much more so in the winter 

 season. Perhaps no class of sea-faring men take greater risks than fishermen in carrying a heavy 

 press of sail. In brancbes of the fisheries where it is extremely desirable to make rapid passages 

 this propensity is carried to an extreme, and, as a result, the sails are sometimes blown away or 

 masts are broken, and, perhaps, other dangers are incurred. Perhaps the most common way in 

 which vessels are dismasted is by carrying a press of sail against a head sea. Another cause of 

 accident is that of jibing fore and aft sails suddenly from one side to the other when there is a 

 strong wind. This generally results in breaking the booms or the mast. The temptation to make 

 a speedy passage is so strong that risks will be taken, although the ultimate results of such reck- 

 less daring may be a loss rather than a gain. 



Running- under, or capsizing. — The tendency to carry a heavy press of sail may result in 

 greater loss than that of spars and sails. The vessel may run under while going before the wind 

 or capsize when sailing by the wind or with the wind abeam. As there have been numerous and 

 oft-repeated hair breadth escapes from such disasters, it is probable that much property and many 

 lives have been thus lost. Such disasters are perhaps sometimes unavoidable, because of sudden 

 and unexpected squalls, especially in the night, although many of them are the result of gross reck- 

 lessness. Not only does the master imperil his own life but also the lives of his crew. So fearless 

 and ardent are the fishermen that the better judgment of the skipper is frequently overcome by the 

 solicitations of the crew, and in the hope of outstripping some rival vessel sail is carried in unrea- 

 sonable excess. This is often the case when a vessel has just left port. The crew are then, per- 

 haps, under the influence of spirituous liquors, which renders them more regardless of danger than 

 common, and unable to properly perform their duty. Several vessels have been lost, presumably 

 soon after leaving port, and their loss is ascribed to such causes. Of the many instances related 

 by the fishermen of narrow escapes either from carrying sail or being struck by sudden squalls, we 

 will mention the following: In the fall of 1877 the schooner Wachusett was running for the Grand 

 Bank in company with the schooner Howard. With a strong northwest breeze the vessels left 

 Gloucester together, and the following night, when about a hundred miles from Cape Ann, the 

 wind increased. The Howard shortened sail, but the Wachusett, attempting to cany all she had 

 spread for some time longer, was struck by a heavy puff and driven under so that her forecastle 

 was partly filled with water. The men on watch at once lowered the mainsail part way down, 

 which relieved the vessel and a disaster was averted. In March, 187S, the schooner Marion, while 

 returning from the Grand Bank, was running in a southeast rain-storm under three lower sails. 

 It was night and intensely dark. The wind blew strong and was increasing fast. All hands were 

 called to shorten sail. Before il could be done a squall struck the vessel and buried her lee side 

 completely under water and came near sinking her. The blackness of night made it difficult to 

 shorten sail, hut the sails were lowered with the least possible delay and fortunately in time to 

 avoid any serious disaster. 



The narrow escapes described were in the case of vessels running free from the wind. There is 

 also great danger in carrying a heavy press of sail while sailing by the wind or with the wind abeam. 

 11 is not uncommon for some of the more headstrong of the fishing skippers to carry so much sail 

 on their vessels that the lee mil is completely under water most of the time. -V lew vessels 

 may be able to stand being driven in this manner with comparative safety, but with the majority 

 of them it is highly dangerous, and liable to result not only in the loss of the vessel by capsizing 

 and tilling, but also in the, loss of the lives of the crew. Many instances are related by the fisher 



