fishermen's memorial and record book. 73 



The fitting-out of the fleet for the haddock fishery commenced about 

 the first of April. The first move was to run the boats on the beach, 

 or landing as it was then called, and have them calked and graved. 

 The latter process consisted in applying a coat of pitch to the bottom 

 and burning it down with a tai'-barrel, which gave a smooth and 

 glossy surface. Painted bottoms in those days were very rare. Af- 

 ter this process had been gone through with the sails were bent, and 

 then a suppl}^ of stores was taken on board, comprising the following 

 articles : Two quarts of molasses, five pounds of fat pork, four 

 pounds of flour, seven pounds of hard crackers, (baked b}' Capt. Cur- 

 rier, or " Capt. Kier," as he was familiarly called,) half a barrel of 

 water, and a little New England rum, which in those days was con- 

 sidered both victuals and drink. This stock would last about a week. 

 Some of the fishermen of the present day would rather grumble at 

 such a bill of fare, but it answered the purpose very well, and they 

 were perfectly contented with it. Another essential article on board 

 was a box of tinder and a supply of home-made matches dipped in 

 brimstone. The tinder was ignited b}' means of flint and steel, and 

 by this they lighted the matches, — not a very agreeable job to per- 

 form when it was rough, especially if one was a little " squeamish," 

 as the smell of brimstone was almost sure to make a person " heave 

 up." 



The time occupied in making a haddock trip was from two days to 

 a week, the fish being mostly taken on Old Man's Pasture, Heart's 

 Ground and Inner Bank, about twelve miles off of Eastern Point. 

 The fish were taken to Charlestown for a market, and purchased by 

 the hawkers — among whom were Johnny Harriden, Joe Smith, Isaac 

 Hich and others, who took them over to Boston in hand-carts and re- 

 tailed them at a good profit. The codfish were generally salted. The 

 smallest were cured for the Bilboa market, and the largest were made 

 into dun fish, as they were called, for home consumption. They were 

 kept on the flakes several weeks, and thoroughly dried until they be- 

 came of a reddish color, and were highly esteemed as an article ot 

 food. The baking season commenced in July, and the pollock fishery 

 was prosecuted from September to the middle of November. Each 

 boat carried three men — skipper, forward hand and cook, who went 

 at the halves, as it was called, the crew receiving one-half the gross 

 stock, and the owners the balance. 



The full rig costume of "3'e ancient fishermen" would be regarded 

 at the present day as something of a curiosity. It consisted gener- 

 ally of the tarpaulin hat and monkey jacket, or guernsey frock ; the 



