Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1872-02-26
MY MACKEREL TRIP.

lege walls, and L resolved to try the viz
tues of salt water and salt air. Accord
ingly, in spite of the earnest protesta-
tions of friends, who looked upon the
ocean as some old people regard a rail-
way, went to Gloucester and shipped
on schooner bound south for mackerel
We were soon ready, and out on the
short, chopping waves of Massachusetts
Bay, and had time to review my stu
alton. The crew consisted of twelve
hands, skipper, cook, and three boys
| had expected to find bad men, and
indeed had heard most of them use pro-
fame language, but no sooner were we
fairly out Of the harbor than cursing and
the yilest language conceivable was heard |
on every side, until it seemed to me that |
| had cast my lot with a set of devils
going out especially to be drowned
They were, with one exception, from the |
British Provinces; and once freed from
the influence of men, sank to their nat
tural level, which was certainly below
the brute found had reckoned with
out my host; but there was no retreat,
l concluded to take things as they came
Toward evening the wind began to rise,
and | felt the unpleasant sensation of
sea-sickness creeping over me. Only
eight could be seated at the table, and
l, being ''a greeny," ate with the Sec
ond gang.
The forecastle, which answers for the
kitchen, diningroom, and sleeping-room
for half the crew, was long and narrow,
with hunks built up at the sides, and
narrow lockers on which we sat, with
narrow table between. A nice supper
was before US, and they sailed in; and
the supper sailed into them in fabulous
quantities. They put to shame every
law of health, always eating just before
retiring, and often rising at midnight
and devouring hearty meal with no APP
parent inconvenience.
My first meal was but half complete
when grew dizzy and sick. With all
dispatch made my way to the vessels
side and made liberal contribution to
the Atlantic; and for three weeks [
contributed often, until | felt that the
better part of me was overheard. | be-
came so weak | could with difficulty
move about; but | always stood my
watch and kept the deck during the day.
The disagreeable odor of the vessel [
finally become accustomed to; my appe-
tite returned, and during the remainder
of the voyage was perfectly we'll.
, BY this time we were off the green
shores of Virginia; and as we sailed
past the Chesapeake, Lord Delaware S
= first colony could hardly have longed for
the solid earth more than | did. We,
however, made no stop, but turned back
: to the New York and Rhode Island
:, shores
u The fog was our constant companion
and for six weeks We saw the sun but
$ once The mists were so heavy that my
: clothes were often soaked at night bu
u as we removed nothing save our boots
T. we came out dry in the morning, and ;
cough or cold was unheard of during the
. trip.
a Card playing and gambling for tobac
: CO furnished amusement for the forecas
re ,e tle Eight black pipes, from as man,
N mouths, sent forth a perpetual cloud 0
u tobacco-smoke, while squeaky fddl
81 increased the Internal din They Otter
q held their carnival until past midnight
O. But all this [ became accustomed to, ant
e slept as sweetly in my fore-peak berth a
&c when in my quiet home.
ct We were driven into Newport r. l.
III by storm. and detained two days
d Had | possessed money enough, | shout
lie have left the vessel; but | had been ad
H. vised to take no money, and had but tie
III cents, and was the richest man in tn
crew at that, Few of the fishermen {
Il, this class ever save cent of their carr
Ut ings. So | wandered up and down tt
Ell streets of Newport, with my hands in N
ne empty pockets, my clothes all gray wit
ne salt water One of the days was SUI
ne day; and though L had no respectful
n clothing wandered into the Methods
P church. requested "a back pew of til
rs good sexton; but to my modification
ne gave me an s.upper seat Two or thrt
lou of the members of the Y. NJ. G. A. kim
y, ly spoke with me after the services, al
lo | was completely unhinged by the plea
IS. ant smile which | received from a your
ne lady in the choir, whose handsome ia,
at know concealed kind heart, or 81
lie, would never have noticed dirty fshe
ed man, unless perchance she thought II
an angel. in disguise.
fd On the water, the time is, with Il
OF fisherman, one long week with no di
INC tinction of days; and this is the wor
OF feature of the business.
I'm Before we returned We visited George
oeo Bank, and were there treated to gen
py inc summer storm Our little vess
an III. leaped from wave to wave, almost di
III ping her masts into the sea. 1t seem
Tau fearful to me even then, but the storr
IN of mid-winter must be indescribable.-
l'n Within narrow space hundreds Of W
ed ear sells anchor for fish. The gales come 0
'he and the cables are often parted and t.
a vessels collide. Wild shrieks ming
~ with the bowling gale, and a score
Gu souls are lost in the seething foam.
1871 more than one hundred men fou
e"V their graves on this treacherous bar
e But the little storm, which satisfied n
u was soon spent, and with fair wind
n: reached port
IS We caught one hundred and fifty b;
IN IN rels of mackerel. and made ten doll
a INC in money In the improvement of
on health | could not estimate my gain.
ila- For invalids there can be no surer h
ny ny than a short fishing trip. But never
n9 until the sea is freed from spring vii
'n' and fogs.
: l have since gone in July and
gust, being absent three weeks. | '
like in company with Christian skip
lax who honored the Sabbath. The CT