150 FISHERMEN'S MEMORIAL AND RECORD BOOK. 



him in the schooner Garland. From his early youth he was passion- 

 ately fond of music, and was never so happy as when listening to 

 the songs which flowed so sweetly from the lips of his mother, who 

 possessed a voice of great purity. His father was also a good singer ; 

 and it may be safely asserted that John inherited his rare musical 

 talents from both parents. Another great pleasure was afforded the 

 lad, in listening to the impromptu playing upon the violin by the 

 fishermen. He would stand spell-bound as it were, completely 

 oblivious to all surroundings ; his soul revelling in the enjoyments 

 which the merry strains afforded, and his face all aglow with enthu- 

 siastic admiration ; his feet and hands keeping time, and his body 

 swinging to and fro in the ecstasy of boyish delight. 



On board the Garland was a very kind-hearted fisherman, Mr. 

 Joseph Wonson, of East Gloucester. He possessed a violin fiddle, 

 the fisherman called it ; and during the evening hours, after the day's 

 catch were dressed and taken care of, he would play a few simple 

 airs. This was heaven itself to the music-loving John, and that was 

 a happy moment, indeed, when Mr. Wonson told him that he might 

 try and see if he could play. How the lad labored, and, with trifling 

 assistance from Mr. Wonson, he soon learned the simple tune of 

 "Auld Lang Syne;" then followed, "Haste thee Winter, Haste 

 Away." Mr. Watson informs us that among the many successes of 

 his musical career, none ever afforded him so much real, unalloyed 

 pleasure, as the fact that he could really play these tunes. 



During the trip John improved every opportunity for playing ; and 

 the owner of the fiddle agreed to sell it to him, bow and all, for one 

 dollar. The trip turned out poorly, and John, whose finances were 

 low, could not purchase the much-coveted instrument. When return- 

 ing to port he left the Garland^ and shipped in the Helen, which was 

 owned and commanded by his father. The first day out they came 

 across a large school of haddock, and John hauled them in so fast 

 and worked so perseveringly as to win frequent encomiums from his 

 father, who predicted that the boy would make one of the smartest 

 skippers in the fleet. The veteran, however, was not aware of the 

 cause of John's applying himself so energetically. The boy did, 

 however, for there was constantly appearing before his eyes that 

 violin. The sales of his fish would give him money to purchase it. 

 They got a good trip, and his father very willingly advanced his son 

 some money on account. With nimble feet he made his way to East 

 Gloucester, found Mr. Wonson, and came back with the violin under 

 his arm. 



