Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1871-10-18
FOr the JOnrnaI
ON THE BANKS.

| Wv lHE 6ANhS.
Ye dwellers inland who contentedly eat your
boiled fish and potatoes, with accompanying
pork scraps, or you Gf perchance there be
such among my readers), to whom it is given
to MUNICH the strips of dry salt cod, found in
its pristine sadness, on the bar-counter, for the
purpose of whetting the appetite, in order
that the preparation of fusil oil, known as
''Old Rye" may be swallowed without stran-
gulation, have you any idea of the toll and
danger and hardship of procuring those said
| fish? No? l was once, amongst various other
| foolish things that have done in my life, in
duced to go a trip to the Banks, and having
kept sort of journal during the time, will
| endeavor to give my readers some idea of the
pleasures and profits, the comforts and dis
comforts, of Bank Fishing" And firstly
The BANKS
| are patches Of shoal water of great extent,
laying principally off the Nova Scotia shore
and Sable island. I am referring more espec-
| tally TO what is known as the "Western Bank
| ''Banquerean." The "Grand Banks" lay still
| farther to the eastward, and are only visited
| by the larger fishing vessels, whose greater
size and strength enables them the better t.
| resist the terrible gales, that they must neces-
sarily and do encounter, while there laying a,
anchor more especially in the early part OF
the spring. On the shoals (varying from Is
to go fathoms in depth therefore, do the fish
most congregate, principally cod.
THE VESSEL
in which we lima CINE ourselves, is a schooner
of perhaps fifty tons burthen or there
abouts, carrying ten men and eight dorys
Many Of these vessels (and mostly the larger
that fish on the "Grank Banks.") carry no
dorys, but fish from the vessel altogether
each man having his allotted place at the rail
which he retains during the trip. Bat tn,
dory fishermen are considered the most profit
able, inasmuch as they are, by running ava,
from the vessel, more likely to get on school
of fish, while perhaps those who stay on board
the skipper, cook, and perhaps boy, are only
getting one now and then, picking" as it Is
technically termed. One half the crew live
in the cabin, and the other half in the forecas.
tie, no social distinction, or very little, being
known between the Captain (who is familiarly
known by the generic name of "Skip,") and
his crew, which renders the matter of disci.
} pline mere form, for although the crew obey
the shippers orders, generally speaking they
know as well as himself what should be done
and it is very common for a skipper to take
suggestions from some one of his crew.
; We will suppose our vessel to have her out
fit on board, principally salt provisions and
bait, (Which latter generally consists OF
"shucked" CLAIMS lightly sailed and put into
barrels,) or to have run the $50 miles OF
thereabout that lies between Cape Ann and
Sable Island, and tonight we are thought te
be on the fishing ground; say we are though
to be, for our hardy fisherman singular to say
seldom troubles himself to work up his deac
reckoning to ascertain his whereabouts. Ifhe
has sextant on board, ten to one it is broker
and very few carry one, trusting entirely to
soundings, when there are no landmarks ia
be made owing to fog or thick weather
am inclined to think that it is species of In
stinct that thus enables them to hit upon
almost the exact spot that they aimed at.
And now we will haul down the jb, ease of
the fore sheet and put the wheel down, there
by bringing her into the wind for our skipper
to have "a try" Show much water, Skip 2"
asks grey headed fisherman, who from con-
slant association with curry" and scales hath
an ancient and fish-like smell. bout 3S
fathoms" answers the worthy Skip, as he lei
surely "saws" his line to and fro across the
rail "for bite" Guess we're bout on the
| Sou-west edge of the Bank" "Hello, you
got ono Already" rejoins the ancient party, as
our skipper suddenly commences hauling. his
line hand over hand, until the heavy lead
thumps the side. and not one but pair of fine
cod are seen coming over the rail. 'Reckon
we've got right into 'em, lower the foresail
and mainsail and we'll drop our anchor" The
sails being lowered and furled, the anchor
dropped and about rs fathoms of cable run
out, we proceed to bend small three corner
ed sail on the foot of the main boom, which
is securely made fast and the head hOisted up
the mast by the throat halliards. This is
called riding sail and is of great use in
keeping the vessel from rolling so heavily as
she otherwise would in sea way. And now
the cook gives the welcome call to
SUPER,
the main of which consists of hot biscuit,
hot mince pie (made from salt-beef and dried
apples) doughnuts, gingerbread, butter and
dried applesauce. Ample Justice is done this
meal, which, with no fear of dyspepsia before
our eyes, we "gobble," in just fifteen minutes
and betake ourselves to our hunks and pipes,
while the second table perform wonders in the
way of disposing of the substantials before
them. The watch is now set, each man
standing an hour alternately, the signal Ian
tern hung in the fore peak halyards, and the
rest turn in until four o'clock the next morn
ing when
/ ALL HANDS
are called to breakfast, which being finished