200 FISHERMEN'S OWN BOOK. 



judge, the various courses and distances which we had steered during the 

 morning, in consequence of the baffling winds, rendering it somewhat uncer- 

 tain in what direction the Point lay from us. Soon after the wind came, 

 the snow cleared up so that objects could be seen about a mile distant. 

 We saw a shore fishing vessel — a haddock catcher — coming astern, and 

 wishing to speak with her we hauled our sheets aft and let her run up on 

 us. She proved to be the David F. Low, bound to Gloucester, having run 

 across from Cape Cod. She ran ahead of us a little way, and just before 

 we saw the land the snow came down so thick that we lost sight of her. 



Knowing that we were close in and fast approaching the shore, all hands 

 were on deck and on the alert to do any duty which circumstances might 

 demand. A dozen pairs of eyes peered out ahead, anxiously watching to 

 catch a glimpse of the land or breakers. A few minutes later the thrilling 

 cry of, "Land ho I breakers ahead 1 " came from a half dozen at once, and 

 a line of white foam and the snow-covered shore above it were indistinctly 

 seen to leeward. ^^ Hard down! hard down the helm!" was the order 

 shouted to the wheelsman, for so close in were we that any delay in chang- 

 ing the course of the vessel must have resulted in piling her up on the 

 rocks. As the wheel was put down and the vessel came to the wind, most 

 of the men, in obedience to orders, quickly pulled in the sheets, while the 

 rest of us strained our eyes to make out some familiar object on the shore 

 whereby we might be certain of our position. 



We made the land a little to the westward of Bass Rocks. When we first 

 saw it we were running in with the sails on the port side, the wind at that 

 time blowing a smart breeze from south-southeast, and as we hauled to, just 

 clearing the surf on the shore, we fortunately saw and recognized the Sum- 

 mer houses which are only a short distance from the water. As soon as I 

 was sure of our "land fall," we tacked and ran for Eastern Point, following 

 the line of breakers along the shore as near as safety permitted. Every eye 

 was now on the watch for well-known land-marks, and soon the spray dash- 

 ing over Brace's Cove Rock was seen, and a few minutes later we went 

 sweeping in by the Point, near enough to it to catch" a momentary glimpse 

 of the white tower of the lighthouse, and to hear the hoarse-toned fog-bell 

 which rang out its notes of warning. 



We could now laugh at the storm, and the broad grin which appeared on 

 the bronzed faces of many of our crew and the shrugging and chuckling of 

 others gave ample evidence of the general feeling of satisfaction among all 

 hands. 



After anchoring, I went ashore and sold the trip of fish, but, as there 

 were strong indications of a coming gale, and the wind already blew strong, 

 we decided to let the vessel remain in the stream until the next day. Before 

 the men went home we let go the second anchor and made all necessary 



