102 FISHERMEN OF THE UNITED STATES. 



to cease recrniting from the same sources, the humble employment of which I am speaking would 

 speedily become more prosperous, in public estimation more respectable, and of consequence be 

 considered more worthy of the care and protection of our rulers." * 



48. NAVIGATION. 



NAtTTiCAL INSTKUMENTS OAEEiED. — The best equipped schooners carry the following nauti- 

 cal instruments: (1) A chronometer; (2) a quadrant, octant, or sextant; (3) an aneroid barometer; 

 (4) a spy-glass; (5) a clock; (G) a patent log, and (7) compasses, of which three kinds are used, viz, 

 the wooden , brass, and liquid compasses. Every vessel carries two compasses, usually a wooden and 

 a brass one ; the former being used in light weather, the latter in stormy weather. The liquid com- 

 pass is now often substituted for one of the others; in fact, the liquid compass has come into very 

 general use of late years among the better class of Gloucester vessels. 



The use of compasses on board of dories is not unfrequent. Some three or four extra com- 

 passes for this purpose are sometimes carried by different members of the crew on a vessel engaged 

 in the off shore fisheries. This practice is not as general as it should be, since these compasses are 

 not furnished by the owners of the vessel, but are purchased by the crew for their personal use. 

 Many men are unable to provide themselves with this very essential safeguard. 



The vessels always carry one or more charts, with the parallel ruler and dividers necessary 

 for their proper use, and many of them have a " Manual of Navigation " — commonly known as an 

 Epitome — and a Coast Pilot. 



Every sea-going vessel carries two compasses and occasionally an extra one in addition. 



A clock is a part of the regular outfit, and there are very few of the larger vessels which do 

 not carry a spy-glass. 



Very few vessels go to sea without a barometer. This is the case not only with vessels from 

 Gloucester but also those from other ports, except the small boats engaged in shore fishing. Nearly 

 all the vessels which fish out of sight of land carry either a quadrant, sextant, or octant, the former 

 being most commonly in use, while the latter, by its higher price, is prevented from being so gen- 

 erally adopted, although they are recognized as being better. The chronometer is very rarely car- 

 ried, except on the vessels engaged in the halibut fishery, and not always on those. The Epitome 

 and Nautical Almanac are necessary on board of vessels which carry a chronometer ; but they are 

 sometimes carried by vessels not thus provided. 



The charts most popular among the fishermen, and generally in use, are those prepared by 

 Capt. George Eldridge. The Coast Survey and Hydrographio Office charts are also occasionally 

 included in the list. The Admiralty charts of the coast of the British Provinces are used to some 

 extent by vessels fishing in the Gulf of Saint Lawrence, or such as are habitually visiting Provin- 

 cial ports for bait. 



Blunt's "American Coast Pilot " is generally in use ; the excellent manual published by the 

 Coast Survey rarely finds its way on board of our vessels. 



It is very unusual to find a vessel without an almanac, in which are given, in a convenient 

 form for reference, tide-tables for the important ports along the coast. The Farmer's Almanac, 

 published in Boston, is the favorite among the New England fishermen. 



The vessels are fitted out with these instruments in the following manner: The compasses and 

 the clock are a part of the regular outfit of the vessel and are supplied by the owner, as also la 

 generally the spy-glass ; but the remainder of the apparatus and the charts are generally owned 



•American Fisheries, pp. 171, 172. 



