i8 



FISHERMEN'S OWN BOOK. 



some sleep through the night and rise refreshed. I find the wind is N. W., 

 the air keen, and everything dry and hard with frost. It is freshening, and 

 it is more than we can do to keep warm, hauling all the time. The fish soon 

 freeze stiff after they come on deck, and they are biting briskly. Several 

 good halibut, too, have been secured. 



At night we have to " pay out " more cable again, and the breeze promises 

 to be heavy, but there is only one vessel in our vicinity now, and with good 

 clear weather we do not fear any trouble. It blows heavy through the night, 

 and just about daylight a heavy sea strikes us and makes the vessel tremble. 

 The watch soon after puts his head down the " scuttle " and says, " She's 

 adrift." We all jump out, slip on "oil-skins," and get on deck. The fore- 

 sail is loosed and set ; then we proceed to heave in the cable, which we find 

 has been chafed pretty well through by sawing across a rock on the bottom. 



We are now standing with our head to the nor'ard, and as we have 

 received a good deal of damage, the skipper decides to make for home. 

 The wind moderates, so we make sail and pound ice — for forward our vessel 

 is a sheet of ice, and ropes, windlass and cable are all buried in several 

 inches of it. But all hands turn to with a will, and things are soon put to 

 rights. The wind becomes more favorable, and we make all sail and head 

 for Gloucester. Joyful faces are watching for us there; but, alas! for the 

 poor hearts to whom we bring tidings of bereavement — of fathers gone for. 

 ever ; of brothers nevermore to return, and sons whose manly right hands 

 will never earn honorable support for aged parents again. 



Few of the affluent have any idea of the dangers encountered and braved 

 to procure those savory dishes of fish which they so highly appreciate ; and 

 I am afraid few even stop to enquire whether the fishermen are well or illy 

 paid for their labor. There is one duty, however, which people of fortune 

 ought not to neglect, in my opinion, and that is, to contribute liberally to 

 the support of the widows and orphans of whom this arduous calling makes 

 so many. 



