FISHERMEN'S OWN BOOK, 143 



enveloping them in ice. For seven days they were exposed to the severity 

 of the weather, without food or drink, and when taken off were both in an 

 exhausted condition and near the gates of death from hunger and exposure. 

 One of the men was badly frozen, but both recovered from the effects of 

 their exposure. 



Lost in the Fog. — Eight Days without Food or Water. — During the 

 years 1875 and 1876 there were numerous cases of fishermen getting sepa- 

 rated from their vessels in consequence of thick fog setting in while at their 

 trawls, most of whom were picked up within a day or two, before they had 

 suffered greatly from hunger or thirst. In one instance two men were out 

 six days before they were rescued, Patrick O'Neil and Frank Miller of sch. 

 Tubal Cain of this port, in October, 1875 ; but never have we recorded an 

 instance where men have been eight days without food or water, as was the 

 case of Capt. William Hines and John Foster, of sch. Eben B. Phillips of 

 this port, the particulars of which are as follows : 



On the i8th of May, 1876, the two men left their vessel on Grand Bank 

 early in the morning, to haul their trawl. It was not very thick at the time, 

 but shortly after a dense fog shut in, and they were unable to find their way 

 back. They drifted around all that day and night, occasionally rowing a 

 little, but did not succeed in finding any traces of the schooner. On the 

 following day the fog continued as thick as ever, and Capt. Hines thinking 

 the vessel might be found by steering in a westerly course, headed their dory 

 in that direction ; but instead of going toward land they only got farther 

 out to sea. For seven days and nights they continued to drift and row at 

 intervals, the fog continuing very dense. Their sufferings for want of food 

 and drink were most excruciating, and being thinly clothed they suffered 

 considerably from the chilly wind which swept over them most of the time. 

 On the morning of the eighth day the fog lifted, and much to the joy of the 

 famishing men, who had now scarcely strength to move, they discovered a 

 bark in the distance. Both were so weak that they could hardly do any- 

 thing to attract attention except by rapping on the gunwale of the dory. 

 Knowing that it was their last hope of safety, they roused themselves to 

 renewed effort, took to their oars, and after rowing a couple of hours, were 

 discovered by those on board the bark, which hove to, and about half-past 

 eleven that night they came up with her. She proved to be the Norwegian 

 bark Collector^ Capt. Holstein, bound for the Provinces. Capt. Hines was 

 able to get on board the vessel without assistance, but Foster was perfectly 

 helpless and had to be lifted on board. They received the kindest treat- 

 ment from the captain and crew, and by careful nursing soon began to re- 

 cuperate. They had drifted one hundred and sixty miles from the Bank 

 when rescued. The bark arrived at Dalhousie on the the 5th of June, and 



