New-York tribune., 1841-10-15
From the Loudsa Forget Me Not
THE FISHERMAN OF FORT ROUGE.
BY MRS. CORR

BY MRS. GORE.
EVERY mechanical calling exercises powerful
moral influence over its followers. Those who 60
down to the sea in ships, above all those whose
prosperity is dependent tho stirring chances oi
wind and tide, apt To be impetuous, wiisu ard
wayward a. the clements whcrewith taey have I"
Struggle Even when soft of heart, the sailor Is
hard of hand He has no leisure for the eXpan.
sion of those mildcr gradations of feeling which
form the common bond between man and mankind
His vocation opposes perpetual barrier TO com
munion with his fellow-cIeatures. He loves few
and loves them ardcntly; and his animcsites nre
equally circuusclbed, and of equal intensity. He
carries with him to the great deep affections cher
i,hcd with supers,i,ious devotion or cause
of deep offence, over which he broods in the desc
la,ion of that vast oncliacss, till i, seems to am
plily and ell the mighty solitude around.
In almost all tishing-towns, more especially those
of the Continent there is land population and a
sea population scrupulously distinct. In the French
ports OF the Chanrcl, such Calais and Dicppc.
the fishermen have their quarter, their p0fois,
their costume, their characteristic sports and dan
ces, to which they adhere with all the prejudice Of
caste; standing apart from their icllow.tewnsmen
from whom they are divided only by street or u
brook, AS tcnaciously as Jew from Christian, or
Mussulman from Hindoo. And thus, their pc
culisrties OF nature became hereditary. Even in
early childhood, the hshermans boy is COM
plete miniature OF the fisherman, rs the Young
shrimp OF the old one.
During the summer season. when the Calaisiaus
and mariners o. the poliet (,hc fishing suburb OF
Dieppe) frequent, Sundays and HOLIDAYS. the
same public gardens or dancing booths as ,heiric-
low.citizcns the r,dtelot, in his canvas trowser,
and capacious boots. is never TO give his arm
10 the tripping gyiSette or fawn-cyed poysaane ;
NOR would the hari-featured n'GtsioHe, whose com,
pexion vies with the saring red OF her short lin
sey.wolscy petticoai OF unnumbercd breadths, desn
10 bes,ow a moments attention on the smaftest
mercer of the ma,ket-place or the richest srazlcr
nr ,b. neirbborine marshes. Their hoarsc, harsh
voices THEN rugged faces, their reckieSSneSs 'er-
nercd By the su;erstitious piety predominant IN
simpc minds engaged in ce.ilouS oOursc oi ne
seen, 10 adapt thcmi inextricably for each other
II is an interesting sight TO observe the fisher
mems families in Catholic countries crowdlns iAe
e,,y or shore, when the turn Of the tide Is about
10 bling in the little fleet. In stormy weather.
they are sure 10 be found in groups at the loot ct
the Calvary. with uplii,ed hands, sometimes with
streaming ewes, awaiting The Issue OF the tempest
and striving by the sacrifice of their scanty means
in offerings 10 the Church TO rropitiate the Dis
,,oserof the slorm But when the ghtsome waves
ar, r;opIing under summer sky, and all Is serene
and nros,ising. the GshcrwoEcn and their amphi-
lions progeny station themselves on the stones OF
,b,. rier or on their ulturned empty baskets, spe-
cunting, in the least harmonious Oh voices a'cIs'
TONED 10 eu,scream the wistry wind, and Predo-