DANGERS OF THE FISHERIES. 119 



the loss of many valuable lives might be traced to this source; and owners who will persist in 

 exposing men to such peril, certainly are deserving of the severest condemnation. 



The fisherman, who is called upon to meet many dangers with which each voyage brings him 

 in contact, and for the results from which the owners may not be held responsible, should have at 

 least the security of a standi and well-rigged vessel. 



50. DANGERS TO FISHERMEN ON VESSELS AND IN BOATS. 



DANGERS TO FISHERMEN ON VESSELS. 



Seas striking the deck. — The most common accident which is liable to occur is caused by 

 heavy seas, which strike the fishermen as they stand upon the deck of a vessel, knocking them 

 down and often inflicting serious injuries. 



In the winter of 1S77 William Brown, one of the crew of the schooner Howard, of Gloucester, 

 was struck by a sea and severely injured by being knocked against the bows of the dories which 

 were lashed amidships. 



In December, 1880, one of the crew of the schooner David A. Story was standing on watch at 

 the bow of the schooner when a heavy sea struck the vessel. To avoid being thrown overboard, 

 he grasped the iron braces of the forward stove funnel. The sea knocked the vessel upon her 

 beam ends, and when she righted he was found insensible, with his leg broken and several splin- 

 ters from the fore boom, which had been broken by the force of the sea, driven entirely through the 

 limb. 



Instances of this sort might be multiplied, but it is sufficient to say that they occur frequently 

 every winter, and rarely without serious or fatal results to the victims, who are sometimes washed 

 overboard. 



Dangers op falling from the rigging. — Another serious danger is that of falling from 

 aloft. This kind of accident, however, occurs less frequently than the former. 



• apt. Garret Gal\ in, in the spring of 1875, fell from the masthead of the schooner Restless, 

 while on the Grand Banks, striking the cable-tier. He received no serious injury. His was a very 

 fortunate escape, for lives are sometimes lost in this way, and a person thus falling rarely escapes 

 with less serious results than the fracture of a limb. 



In the spring of 1S78 Capt. Joseph Campbell, of Gloucester, fell from the masthead of his 

 vessel, which lay at auchor on the Banks, and was killed. Men sometimes fall from the main boom 

 while engaged in reefing the mainsail. In most cases these accidents are fatal, since at such times 

 the weather is generally too rough to permit their being rescued. Such falls are usually occasioned 

 by a sudden lurching of the vessel, causing the men to lose their hold. 



Whalemen sometimes fall from the rigging. Such accidents are usually the result of careless- 

 ness on the part of the sailors themselves. At times, while the crew are taking in sail, the canvas 

 wraps itself around a sailor and throws him from the yard. Whether he falls on deck or overboard 

 depends upon the position he occupies on the yard. 



Dangers from movements of the booms. — Fishermen are sometimes injured by a blow 

 from one of the booms, usually the fore boom, as it swings from side to side. The injuries are 

 usually to the head, though sometimes the man is further wounded by being knocked upon the 

 deck. It is quite common, also, for them to be thrown overboard by a blow of the boom or by 

 becoming entangled in swinging ropes. 



Men are sometimes thrown overboard by a sudden lurch of the vessel. They are generally 

 lost, for at such times it is too rough to lower a boat to rescue them. 



