Eastern times. [volume] (Bath, Me.) 1846-1857, 1852-09-30
CELLAN Y.
The Fisherman's Life.
THE MACKEREL CATCHER.

AS soon as the frosts of winter are dispelled
ermen on Cape Cod and 'along Shore are
busy preparing their vessels and fitting them
for the fishing campaign, which thus early
commences. They do not at first take long
voyages, but remain around the island and bays
adjacent to Massachusetts, catching what fish
happen 10 bite, and returning at nighfall 10
convenient harbor, or bearing away for a mar
ket. The work at this early season is tedious,
but there is prospect of double bounty, be-
sides remuneration arising from the fish sold,
which prompts the endurance of some extra
hardships.
Their vessels are usually first rate sailers
and altogether good sea boats; many Of them
being used in the winter 10 run south for oys-
ters, the most perilons of voyages undertaken
by merchantmen, and many others, engaged in
the same season in the coasting trade. The
crew, averaging thirteen, though sometimes
going as hig as sixteen, is generally shipped
'on shares A certain portion have half they
catch by paying the owners a percentage for
expenses others, called whole hookers,' have
all they catch, by hiring their board, and pay
ing an alleged amount for the privilege /; and
still other gradations and conditions exist, so
that scarcely two are on the same footing
Then there is particular position on the deck
of the vessel assigned to each one, where he
must remain, while fishing, during the voyage.
1t is considered great advantage 10 be in the
middle of the rail- and proportonate disad-
vantage to be obliged to stand upon either end.
These differences, though real, will not be ap-
preciated by those inexperienced, perhaps, so
will omit any explanations. Each has to
dress and cure his own fish, SO when fish bite,
all are fishing, and when they cease all are
engaged in curing them.
This voyage is considered the most safe and
pleasant of the variety of fishing trips. After
the spring has advanced and the heavy gales
have died away before the pleasant westerly
breezes annually visiting our land, the mack
erel fisherman takes leave of his home and
steers for the north. Coasting along the shore
of Nova Scotia and on to Cape Breton, he
comes to the beautiful and secure little strait
called the 'Gut of Cansau,' which he enters
and winds up It's circuitous route, enjoying the
prospect on either hand of verdaht field peren-
nial shrubbery, as does the navigator of in
land river, and at the same time sheltered from
the tempests liable to occur, by the bold sum
nit of hills aud mountains Now and then
coming in view behind some jutting headland,
stands the rude cot of the farmer in these
northern regions, surrounded by those rural
scenes, which ever bring home memories with
mournful pathos over the heart of the wander
er; beyond, still guiding his vessel by the
channel, the dark foliage of the forest shuts
out the scene, and nought breaks the solemn
stiffness of nature but the croak of ravens and
the flight of wild fowl. But now he emerges
from this placid channel into the boslerous
waters of the Gulf of St. Lawrence, and all
the creations of fancy must give place to other
duties before him, as his noble vessel once
more breasts the mountain wave. Sometimes
mackerel men find encouragement in the south
ern part of this gulf; at others in the western
more generally, however, in the northern,
which strictly speaking is the location of the
Bay of Chaleur, though with the fishermen the
whole gulf goes by the same name.
More of the mackereI mans time runs TO
waste than of either of the other two classes. -
The fish he catches are exceedingly eccentric
in their movement, often appearing in vast
schools only to remain an hour, or coming in
meagre lots, hardly worth attention. He
scarcely ever has days continued good fish
ing, but often has series of provoking fail
ures. When fish are plenty, the deck of the
mackerel man presents most animated ap-
pearance, and the most earnest endeavors are
made by all TO secure large share If the
number of 'washtubs full, at nightfall is not
so great as to preclude the possibility of ac-
commodating more upon the deck, the fisher
men continue their exertions until thew or the
days may intervene before they can catch a
bakers dozen' Their leisure time is EN-
ployed in sleeping, reading tales of the ocean,
old newspapers, and, which is favorite amuse-
ment with the boys, making miniature ves-
sells. The productions of their knives are Of
ten worthy of better tools and more experienced
hands. These little ships are often preserved