FISHEEMEN'S MEMORIAL AND RECORD BOOK. 5 



To lessen these dangers, each dory should be provided with sufficient 

 food and water to sustain life for several days ; but the chances even 

 then are against the fishermen, and ever}'' year adds to the list of 

 those lost while engaged in setting or picking their trawls. 



The losses while engaged in trawl fishing as well as the cases of 

 drowning from the vessels, are among the saddest incidents connected 

 with the business, and the coming into the harbor of a vessel with 

 her flag floating at half-mast, is an occasion of mournful interest. 

 James Davis, Esq., has expressed the feeling awakened b}' such 

 occurrences in the following beautiful poem, which was originally 

 published in the columns of the Cape Ann Advertiser, and which we 

 deem exceedingly appropriate to introduce into tliis chapter : — 



HALF-MAST HIGH. 



Half-mast liigh thfi signal floats ! 



She's coming in from sea. 

 Some sailor of her crew is gone, 



Who may the lost one be? 

 The landsmen gaze as she draws nigh, 

 "With trembling, sad concern, 

 The vessel's name to learn, 

 That comes with colors half-mast liigh. 



Half-mast high the signal floats ! 



Who shall the mourners be. 

 That soon must weep sad tears for him 



They never more shall see? 

 Ah I many may heave the anxious sigh. 

 For fear that it may prove 

 To bo the one they love, 

 For whom the flag floats half-mast high. 



Half-mast high the signal floats ! 



Oh ! can it bo 'tis he ? 

 It speaks relief to other hearts. 



But is a knell to me. 

 The word that names him who doth lie 

 Low in his watery urn, 

 And never shall return; 

 For mine the flag floats half-mast high. 



Half-mast high the signal floats I 



Thus honored let them be, 

 Who perish thus that we may live 



On treasures of the sea. 

 For them, the hardy brave who die, 

 And find no other grave 

 But the deep oceau wave, 

 We'll raise the colors half-mast high. 



If the hair-breadth escapes which every Georgesman or Banker 

 has met with at one time or another could be gathered IVoin the lips 

 of those who encountered them and saw deatli so very near, — scarcely 

 a hope of escape, — what a volume it would make, and how its perusal 

 would thrill the heart of the reader ! We could hardly believe these 

 tales which the fishermen relate, unless they were authenticated by 

 the most truthful circumstances, and the facts corroborated by their 

 companions who were equally exposed to the threatening dangers, and 

 with their shipmates stood face to fiice with death. Such tales are 

 replete with the most thrilling incidents, and in other chapters of 

 this book we publish several such, almost verbatim, as received from 

 the persons who passed through the dangers and returned to port, 

 scarcely knowing how they escaped, except as some of them solemnly 



