CHAPTEE XVI. 



STOEIES OF FISHEE-LIFE. 



Signs and Tokens — ^A French Fishwoman — The Fishwives of Paris — The 

 Story of a Prestonpans Widow — Psalm John of Whelkholes — Jean 

 Cowie's Story — Fisher Names — Dramatic Sketch — Growth of a Storm 

 — The last Scene of aU. 



As has been already mentioned, the fishers are intensely super- 

 stitious. No matter where we view them, they are as much 

 given to signs and omens at Portel near Boulogne as at 

 Portessie near Banff. For instance, whilst standing or walking 

 they don't like to be numbered. Kude boys wUl sometimes 

 annoy them by shouting — 



" Ane, twa, three ; * 



What a lot o' fisher mannies I see ! " 



It is also considered very offensive to ask fisher-people, whilst 

 on their way to their boats, where they are going to-day ; and 

 they do not like to see, considering it unlucky, the impression 

 of a very flat foot upon the sand ; neither, as I have already 

 explained, can they go to work if on leaving their homes in the 

 morning a pig should cross their path. This is considered a 

 particularly unlucky omen, and at once .drives them home. 

 Before a storm, it is usually thought, there is some kind of 

 warning vouchsafed to them ; they see, in their mind's eye 

 doubtless, a comrade wafted homeward in a sheet of flame, or 

 the wraith of some one beckons them with solemn gesture 

 landward, as if sajing, " Go not upon the waters." At one 

 time when an accident happened from an open boat, and any 

 person Was drowned, that boat was never again used, but was 

 laid up high and dry, and allowed to rot away — rather a 

 costly superstition. Then, again, some fisher-people perform a 

 kind of " rite " before going to the herring-fishery, in drinking 



