NATIOJifALITT AND GENERAL CHARACTERISTICS. 7 



The number of foreigu flsberiueii in the United States, excluding the 5,000 negroes and the 

 8,000 Indians and Eskimos, who are considered to be native-born citizens, probably does not 

 exceed 10 to 12 per cent, of the total number. 



As is shown by the figures given above, considerably more than one-half of the fishing popu- 

 lation of the United States, excluding the oystermen of Virginia and Maryland, belongs to the 

 Atlantic- coast north of the Capes of Delaware. Of this number, at least four-fifths, or 40,000, are 

 of English descent. They are by far the most interesting of our fishermen, since to their numbers 

 belong the 20,000 or more men who may properly be designated the "sailor fishermen" of the 

 United States, the crews of the trim and beautiful vessels of the sea going fishing-fleet, which 

 should be the chief pride of the American marine, and which is of such importance to our country 

 as a training school for mariners, and as a medium through which one of the most valuable food 

 resources of the continent is made available. 



The fishing population of Maine, Massachusetts, and Connecticut is composed, for the most 

 part, especially in the country districts, of native-born Americans. In the large fishing ports 

 there is, however, an extensive admixture of foreigners, among whom the natives of the British 

 Provinces, chiefly Nova Scotians and Newfoundlanders, are largely in the majority. The Beverly 

 bankers are manned to a large extent by Nova Scotians, who are shipped at the beginning of the 

 summer by the vessels which proceed for that purpose to the seaport towns of that Province. The 

 Plymouth fleet, before 1861, was manned almost wholly by Americans, then for some years chiefly 

 by Nova Scotians, now almost entirely by Americans. Part of the crews and several of the captains 

 of the Bucksport fishing vessels are Provincials, and there is a limited number of these men, prin- 

 cipally from New Brunswick, engaged in the shore and vessel fisheries of Eastport. In addition 

 to these, there are many Provincial fishermen at different points along the coast of Maine. 



Gloucester has 140 men of British birth, a large proportion of whom are Irish, while the Boston 

 market fleet is mauned principally by Irishmen. 



Gloucester has nearly 400 Scandinavians amon^ its fishermen and about 70 Frenchmen. The 

 New Bedford whaling fleet, with its motley gathering of sailors from every port of the world, has 

 individuals of nearly every race. In 1880 the crews of this fleet were composed as follows : 900 

 Americans; 800 Portuguese ; 250 English and Irish; 200 British-Provincials; 200 Germans; 200 

 South Sea Islanders or Kanakas ; 200 Negroes ; 50 French, and 50 Swedes. 



In general traits of character fishermen cannot be distinguished from the population on shore. 

 In some special branches of the fisheries, as the boat fisheries of Maine, the men live a compara- 

 tively secluded life, and acquire, after many years, a bearing and physiognomy peculiar to them- 

 selves. 



The enterprise of New England fishermen is well known. They are not conservative, but 

 eager to adopt inventions and discoveries that may promise to benefit them in their work. This 

 trait is manifest in the readiness with which they have adopted the purse-seines in place of the 

 hook and line in the capture of mackerel ; and, again, in their readiness to experiment with and 

 then to adopt gill-nets in the shore fisheries for the capture of cod. 



They are a hardy and daring race of men, particularly in New England. Their powers of 

 endurance and their skill are noteworthy. The highest type of seamanship is attained among 

 American fishermen. The whalemen of Nantucket and New Bedford have pursued their prey in 

 all oceans, and have added greatly to the geographical knowledge of the world. 



In general education the inhabitants of the fishing towns of New England are among the most 



