DANGERS OF THE FISHERIES. 123 



resistance to the sea, is also used with the same result. The men meanwhile steady the boat with 

 their oars to prevent it from swinging "side to the wind." 



Precautions against loss op life. — Much suffering and loss of life might be prevented if 

 the fishermen would carry food and water in their dories when they go out to haul the trawls. So 

 many vessels are passing daily in the vicinity of the fishing grounds that the chances are against 

 a boat drifting for many days without being picked up, provided the men are able to keep up their 

 81 1 vngth and spirits. Many of the banks are so near the laud that the men could succeed in reach- 

 ing it if they had provisions to support their strength for a few days. The custom of carrying- 

 water and occasionally provisions in the dories in thick weather is, it is claimed, coming more into 

 favor, but this simple precaution agaiust disaster and suffering should be insisted upon by humane 

 public sentiment, and possibly also by legal enactment. 



It has been suggested that it would be useless to make laws for the government of fishermen 

 when they are out of sight of the officers of the law, but no matter how careless the crew and skip- 

 pers may be, if a law allowed the fishermen to bring a suit for damages against the master and 

 owners of a vessel which sent them out in a small boat without provisions, it would be clearly to 

 the interest of the latter to oblige them to carry the necessities of life, no matter how careless the 

 men themselves might be. 



John Maynard, of New Loudon, and William Corthell, of Lyme, Conn., of schooner Gilson 

 Carman, left that vessel on George's on Wednesday, March 17, lSGt), in a dory, to haul their trawls, 

 and while doing so a very heavy thunder-squall sprang up, driving them from the banks. They 

 had at the time several halibut and from sixty to seventy codfish, which they had to throw over- 

 board, with the exception of one, which they retained to eat. After eating a little it made them 

 sick, and they were obliged to throw it away. On Thursday night they saw a vessel, but were 

 unable to attract her attention ; were drifted about all day Friday and Friday night, without any 

 thing to eat. On Saturday morning a duck lit in the vicinity of the boat, which they managed to 

 kill and ate it raw. On Saturday night, when they had nearly given up the idea of being saved, 

 they made a light a few miles ahead. They immediately pulled for it, when it proved to be the 

 schooner Henry Clay. During the time they were iu the boat they had a steady storm of rain and 

 snow and were frequently capsized, but with the aid of a bucket they managed to keep the boat 

 clear of water. Corthell had his feet badly frozen. Maynard's arm was badly chafed and swollen, 

 and bot-h suffered greatly.* 



"The Dominiou Government steamer Newfield, Captain Guilford, arrived at Halifax from 

 Sable Island to day, and brought up William Coleman and James McGrath, who had landed on 

 the island. The two men belonged to the fishing schooner Procter Brothers, of Gloucester, Mas-. 

 They left the vessel iu a dory on the western banks of Newfoundland on the morning of Sunday, 

 April 18, to attend to their trawls. While at this work a gale sprang up, and they were unable to 

 get back to the vessel. For five days they drifted about at the mercy of wind and waves, without 

 food or water. Their sufferings were intense, as the weather was very cold. McGrath had both 

 bet badly frozen. On the evening of Tuesday, April 22, their dory drifted ashore on Sable Island, 

 and the two men are kindly cared for by the men statioued there to aid wrecked people."! 



Dangers of fog or thick weather. — There is constaut danger, at all seasons of the year, 

 of fishermen, while out in the boats, losing sight of the vessels. In summer, when there is no 

 snow, the fogs are most prevalent. To prevent accidents of this sort, so far as possible, vessels are 

 provided with bells, horns, and guns. The common tin horn and Anderson's patent horn, in which 

 the air is forced through a reed by a piston, are the most common horns in use. Occasionally the 



* Gloucester and its Fisheries, p. Gfi. t Boston Herald, April 30, 1830. 



