10 FISHEEMEN OF THE UNITED STATES. 



2. THE SHORE FISHERMEN OF MAINE. 



General chaeaoteeistics.— The men who are engaged in the shore fisheries of Maine 

 are almost wholly of American birth. The majority of them have been brought up from their boy- 

 hood to a life on the water. Because of the decline of the coasting business in which their fathers' 

 to a great extent, were employed before them, many of them have engaged in this particular 

 branch of the fisheries as the only opportunity left them of making a living from the products of 

 the sea. 



Hardihood. — Judging from the exposure to which these fishermen are frequently subjected, 

 and the absence of ill effects upon their health by reason of such exposures, it may safely be said 

 that they are a hardy class of men; perhaps not as daring and vigorous, however, as are the men 

 engaged in deep-sea fishing and who are often absent from shore for weeks and months together. 

 The shore fishermen are frequently compelled to spend the night in their little open boats waiting 

 for the turn of the tide or for a favorable wind. 



Submission to difficulties. — These fishermen are chronic grumblers, and not altogether with- 

 out reason. The terrible scarcity of bait, particularly annoying when good fishing is reported by 

 the more fortunate — combined with the miserable prices they sometimes obtain for their fish, is not 

 calcTilated to make a man jubilant or arouse dormant energies, if such exist. Each is largely de- 

 pendent upon his " buyer," who, according to the state of the market, or for other reasons, may 

 direct the fishermen either to go fishing next morning or stay at home. If he goes contrary to the 

 advice of his patron he has a very poor cliance of receiving from him any sum for his fish which 

 will compensate the loss of time and labor. The wish to accumulate means is therefore absent by 

 reason of its impossibility, and the time devoted to fishing is only so much as will provide himself 

 and family with something to eat and wear. Some of these fishermen, however, are enterprising 

 and industrious, and profiting by the inactivity of their fellows they acquire a fair competence. 



It can hardly be said that the "chronic grumbler" is lazy, for when searching for bait or trav- 

 eling to or from the grounds he will row a large boat several miles and think nothing of it. This 

 apparent contradiction in his nature is due to his inability to change the existing state of affairs 

 or to earn a livelihood in any other way* thus hardship and privations are calmly submitted to 

 as a matter of course. 



Lack of enteepeise. — Money seems to have but small powers of attraction when offered 

 to these fishermen for work not connected with fishing. A member of our staff, who visited the 

 coast in 1880, found considerable trouble in securing the services of some one who was willing to 

 row him from place to place, and thereby earn good wages, though many of them were doing 

 nothing. A larger return than common from selling fish is usually spent as fancy may first dictate 

 or serves as a reason for deferring, as long as possible, the next fishing expedition. 



MAEEiAaE AND HOME LIFE. — Most of these men marry at an early age, generally from eighteen 

 to twenty years : they thus become responsible foif the support of a family almost before arriving 

 at manhood. 



The houses occupied by the families of these Maine shore-fishermen are usually old-fashioned 

 wooden buildings, one and a half stories high; in some cases neat and home-like in appearance, 

 but more generally lacking in taste and order. Most of these houses are surrounded by a " patch " 

 of ground from three-quarters of an acre to three or four acres in area, which, if properly attended 

 to on the days unpropitious for fishing, might provide largely toward the support of the family, but 

 negligence characterizes the appearance of many and weeds flourish undisturbed. The families 

 snibsist, for the most part, upon the products of the sea— fish, lobsters, and clams— and upon the 

 vegetables from their gardens. 



