NATURE versus MEDICINE 



fishing fleet as they rounded Eastern Point, 

 bound outward or inward. These vessels were 

 models of beauty, and looked as if they were 

 built for racing instead of fishing. I often 

 compared them with the clumsy coasters that 

 rode at anchor in the Outer Harbor. 



Now and then a vessel, homeward bound, 

 rounded Eastern Point with her flag half- 

 mast. Mute reminder of the hardships and 

 perils of a fisherman's life. 



Every morning soon after it had become 

 light enough to see, several boats could be 

 seen rowing shoreward. Usually there was 

 only one man to a boat. It did not take me 

 long to find out that these lone rowers coming 

 in out of the night were fishermen that pulled 

 their lobster-pots after one o'clock in the 

 morning. I saw another lone fisherman sail 

 out of the harbor every morning when there 

 was wind enough to fill a dory sail. Day 

 after day he sailed or rowed out to sea to 

 fish for shore codfish. He supported a large 

 family from the proceeds of his labor, but 

 the life was lonely and perilous. I watched 

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