LIFE ON THE GRAND BANKS 



23 



worst enemy. Dories may 

 be strung out when it is 

 fine and clear, and before 

 they can be picked up again 

 they are blanketed from 

 view in a wet, sight-defying 

 mist. 



The skippers are wonder- 

 fully clever at locating the 

 hidden dories, but it often 

 happens that some cannot 

 be found, and their names 

 are listed with the yearly 

 death toll of the Banks. 



But there are not many 

 casualties, considering the 

 frequency of the fogs, and 

 I can remember one occa- 

 sion when 56 dories were 

 reported astray from their 

 vessels and all were either 

 picked up by other schoon- 

 ers or else rowed in from 

 the Banks to the land. Some 

 of the distances stray fish- 

 ermen have rowed in dories 

 seem incredible, but a pull 

 of 150 to 175 miles in rough 

 weather and without food is 

 not an unusual accomplish- 

 ment. 



A few years ago, during 

 April, two fishermen got 

 astray from their vessel on 

 Quero Bank and were 

 picked up fourteen days 

 afterward 30 miles north- 

 west of St. Pierre. They 

 had but a little cake and 

 some water to sustain them during that 

 period and only managed to keep from 

 freezing to death by constant rowing. 

 One man's feet and hands were black 

 from frostbite when picked up. 



the: siren strikes terror 



Fog inspires fear in fishermen by rea- 

 son of the danger of being run down by 

 steamers. Many schooners have been 

 sent to the bottom thus, and the roar of 

 a steamer's siren close aboard in foggy 

 weather will have a crowd of fishermen 

 out of their bunks quicker than anything 

 else I know of. 



It is a most disturbing sensation to be 

 lying becalmed and helpless in a clammy 

 mist and to hear a steamer blowing in the 



A BIG FEEEOW . A GUEE OE ST. EAWRENCE HAEIBUT 

 WEIGHING ABOUT 3OO POUNDS 



vicinity. One never can tell from which 

 direction she is coming, and the fisher- 

 men blow horns, light torches, fire guns, 

 and ring bells when the dreaded blast is 

 heard. 



During the winter months the Banks- 

 men fishing for market endure some 

 strenuous times. Chilling cold, strong 

 winds, rough seas, and ice and snow 

 make of dory-fishing at this season a 

 somewhat risky and desperately arduous 

 occupation. 



THE EINEST BOATMEN IN THE WORLD 



The schooner is stripped for heavy 

 weather, topmasts and light sails are left 

 ashore, and fishing is carried on during 

 the lulls in the squalls. Time is valuable 



