72 FISHERMEN'S MEMORIAL AND RECORD BOOK. 



" Now, Uncle Charlie, we want you to talk to us about old times, 

 tell us about the old fishing fleet, as we are going to get up a book 

 for the fishermen of to-day, who will want to know all about the past, 

 and how the old fishermen used to manage, and what kind of crafts 

 they sailed in." 



" Well, let me see. I'll spin off the yarns, and yon can put 'em 

 together to suit yourself. I don't know anything about your print- 

 ing, never had but precious little book larnin', any way. At the age 

 of eight I began to get my own livin', and what little I do know, I 

 picked up winter evenings." 



" That don't matter, Uncle Charlie. Spin off the yarns, and we'll 

 endeavor to put them in shape." 



Would that we could report that afternoon's interviewing, verba- 

 tim, giving the exact language, the style, the gestures, etc. ; but we 

 cannot do that, and must rest content by giving a general summary 

 thereof. 



Uncle Charlie's first remembrance was 6f the pinkey fleet. Sixty 

 years ago, he tells us, the whole of the fishing business of Gloucester 

 was, with the exception of the Grand Bank fishing, carried on by 

 means of these small and light craft. Their trips were seldom ex- 

 tended to more than two or three days or a week, according to the 

 success they might meet with. They were mostly occupied upon the 

 fishing grounds in the vicinity of the Cape, sometimes running down 

 along the coast of Maine, and occasionally dropping their lines upon 

 Georges. These boats were from ten to twenty tons, with standing 

 rooms or berths, for they had no rail or bulwarks above the deck, the 

 only protection being a narrow waist about eight inches in height. 

 They carried foresail and mainsail only, and were good sailers. The 

 "cuddy," a small apartment forward, contained two berths, and a 

 fireplace built of brick, just abaft the foremast. The chimney was 

 made of wood and plastered on the inside to prevent its taking fire. 

 Cooking-stoves were then unknown. 



Uncle Charlie recalled among the names of the Pinkey fleet, the 

 following : " Lion," Capt. Simeon Buruham ; " Mary," Capt. James 

 Marchant ; " Nabby," Capt. Epes Merchant ; " Heart of Oak," Capt. 

 William Parkhurst; " America," Capt. Nathaniel Merchant; "Fin 

 Back," Capt. Samuel Norwood ; " Sukey," Capt. Benjamin Parsons. 

 There were also some three or four owned by the Wonsons, at East- 

 ern Point, whose names he did not remember. These comprised the 

 fleet from Pearce's wharf round to Rocky Neck. In addition to the 

 above was the Harbor Cove fleet. 



