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FISHERMEN'S OWN BOOK, 



Crippled on the '' Home Stretch." 



BY DICK SKYLIGHT. 



No branch of the fishery is so uncertain, as to the returns, as that for 

 halibut. One vessel may get a high price for her fish, while a second, a 

 few days or hours later, by striking an overstocked market, may receive not 

 more than half as much. As the success of the trip therefore depends very 

 much on the rapidity of the homeward passage, sail is crowded on, even to 

 the point of extreme danger, and the " home stretch " frequently becomes 

 the most exciting part of the whole trip, demanding the best seamanship 

 and skill on the part of the skipper and crew. 



Fishermen as a class take especial pride in the sea-going qualities of the 

 vessel they sail in, and esteem most highly her ability to carry a crowd of 

 sail in a fresh breeze. This particular pride is often more forcibly exhib- 

 ited — perhaps recklessly so — by the men composing the crews than by the 

 skippers, since upon the latter rests the responsibility. It is sometimes 

 quite amusing to overhear some of the remarks of the men on deck in re- 

 lation to carrying sail. " I tell yer what 'tis/' says one to his watch-mate, 

 " the old critter's stiff 's a church." " Yes," replies the other, " the old gal 

 can wear her muslin 'bout 's long 's any of 'em. I don't believe them they 

 blow so much about can stand it much longer ; not if the old man's a mind 

 to lug it on her." This desire to " lug it on her " is expressed, too, when 

 the little schooner is probably buried all under water on the lee side, and 

 the spars and sails are strained to the utmost. On more than one occasion 

 I have, myself, barely escaped evil consequences from carrying a " taut 

 rag " when homeward bound. 



One night in March, 1878, we left the Grand Bank just at the commence- 



