67 



dured greater agonies than death could inflict. The surging waters 

 reached to his waist, while the pitiless rain beat upon his unprotect- 

 ed head, and the pangs of thirst and hunger clamored that he should 

 cease the unequal strife and seek oblivion in the seething flood. But 

 the instinct of self-preservation was strong, and he maintained his 

 position until his feet were chafed and raw, and delirium set in. His 

 critical position was at last discovered by two fishermen on Seal Isl- 

 and, and he was taken off and tenderly cared for until reason re- 

 sumed its throne and he was able to take passage for home. 



Subject to perils like these, and hardships greater than pen can 

 describe or imagination conceive, the fisherman plys his busy trade. 

 Through his labors mainly Gloucester has grown from a population 

 of 6350 and a valuation of one million dollars in 1840 to a present 

 population of 16,754 and a valuation exceeding nine millions, show- 

 ing in the brief period of thirty-five j^ears an increase of 264 per 

 cent, in population, 853 per cent, in valuation, 358 1-2 per cent, 

 in dwellings, 442 per cent, in wharves, and 213 per cent, in vessels. 

 Through his skilled operations, and the advantages taken of his la- 

 bors, the fishing business of Gloucester has grown from an enter- 

 prise of secondary importance to rank among the valuable producing 

 interests of the country. Less than thirty years ago, in 1847, the 

 total value of the fishery products of Gloucester amounted to $589,- 

 354. Last year the production of the Gloucester fleet was as follows : 



Bank Codfish, 177,473 qtls., 

 Georges Codfish, 185,758 " 



Halibut, 2,462,364 Ibs., 

 Bank " 7,248,423 



Hake, 

 Cusk, 

 Pollock, 

 Herring, 

 Shore Fisheries, 



the work of 

 dor} r fishermen, 



4,257 qtls., 

 2,349 " 

 9,417 " 

 38,292 bbls., 

 Fresh Fish, 

 Cured " 

 Oil, 



Mackerel, 18,172 5-8 bbls. No. 1, 



7,065 1-8 " " 2, 



21,763 " " 3, 



" 4,0393-8 " " 4, 



#998,628 



1,021,669 



172,365 



507,389 



12,774 



7,047 



32,964 



153,168 



89,738 



185,697 



8,945 



327,112 



184,780 



174,104 



24,205 



PICKLED FISH. 



31,750 Herring, #13,494 

 163 bbls. Codfish, 40 1-4 bbls. 



Swordfish, 1,097 

 410 5-8 bbls. Trout, 75 3-4 bbls. 



Fins and Napes, 4,042 

 21 7-8 bbls. Salmon, 205 bbls. 



Tongues and Sounds, 2,282 



Shell Fish, (Clams, etc.) 10,000 



All other Fish, 8,000 



Oil, other than above, 100,000 



Total, $3,909,500 



The business is mot uniformly successful. More largely than any 

 other occupation, probably, it is subject to circumstances over which 

 the men engaged in it can have but little control. The best results 

 are most likely to be secured by the skipper who understands fully 

 the habits and probable movements of the fish, and who displays the 



