FISHERMEN'S OWN BOOK. 199 



Making a Harbor in a Snow Storm. 



BY J. W. COLLINS. 



No incident in the passage home, in Winter, causes greater anxiety than 

 that of approaching the land during an easterly wind, which is almost always 

 a stormy one on our coast. The fisherman, anxious to reach home, piles on 

 the canvas, and if there is sufficient wind the little schooner is driven to her 

 utmost. As long as the weather remains clear all is well ; but it frequently 

 happens that snow storms come on suddenly just at that critical period when 

 the vessel is nearing the land. The result of this is that she is often caught 

 on a lee shore, with a fast increasing gale, while the snow is so dense that 

 even the most daring will scarcely venture the attempt to make the land, 

 knowing full well that it would be almost madness to do so. The only al- 

 ternative is to come to anchor or " haul off" and try to keep off the rocks. 



The following extract may serve to give an idea of the difficulties of ap- 

 proaching the coast in a storm, even in comparatively moderate weather. 

 These difficulties are much increased when the wind blows a gale, and many 

 thrilling adventures have been encountered in Massachusetts Bay by the 

 Gloucester fishermen while endeavoring to make a harbor : 



On Thursday, Jan. 16, 1879, at four o'clock in the morning, Thacher's 

 Island lights were in sight from deck. At this time there was a slight breeze 

 from the southeast, but it soon died out, and we lay becalmed with the 

 exception of occasional cat's paws, which came from all points of the com- 

 pass. There were indications of a storm, which gave me much uneasiness. 

 My anticipations were soon realized, for it began to snow before daylight, 

 and in a few minutes the air was full of the soft feathery flakes, which effect- 

 ually shut out from view every object at a greater distance than one or two 

 hundred fathoms. All hands were called out to pound the ice off of our 

 cable and running rigging, since it is of the highest importance to have 

 everything ready for anchoring or taking in sail when approaching the land, 

 especially in thick weather. Although it continued calm during the early 

 part of the forenoon, the barometer fell very rapidly, giving indications of 

 an approaching gale, which might be expected in a few hours ; consequently 

 I determined to make the land if possible. One of the most unpleasant and 

 dangerous positions that one can be in is to be caught on a lee shore in 

 Winter when an easterly gale is accompanied — as it generally is — by a 

 blinding snow storm. 



About ten o'clock in the forenoon the wind breezed up from the southeast 

 and increased quite fast. We ran for Eastern Point as nearly as I could 



