The New York herald., 1876-07-31
PICKED UP AT SEA.

HOW LITTLE FRED SMITH LOST HIS FISHING
SCHOONER IN FoG-HE IS PICKED UP IN
HIS DoRY BY FISHERMAN AND TRANS
FERRED TO AN AUSTRIAN vEssEL-A BOY
WHO DOES NOT FANCY GRANITE QUARRYINo.
The Austrian brig Enrica which arrived in this port
yesterday from Gloucester. England, bad board .
lad of SIXTEEN named Frederick Smith, who was taken
board OF open boat, in which he pulled up to
the vessel while she drifting in calm about ], 500
miles at sea- ON July Is HERALD reporter, search
ing Tor the while the rain fell IN torrents yester-
day afternoon found her lying at the middle pier, in
the Atlantic basin, Brooklyn. Making his way
board he learned that the captain had gone ashore,
but that the lad he sought tho iorecastle below
Descending wet and slippery ladder the reporter
found himself in a small and dark but toeraby clean
apartment, the walls Of which lined with the
sleeping berhs OF tho The little space left was
crowded with chests upon which the men we're seated
devouring their dinner OF biscuit and boiled salt
beef with moro vigor than elegance In this company
found the boy Smith, who proved to be about six
tecn years old rather small for his age, with lair hai
and handsome and intelligent sun-browned features.
He was attired in shirt and trousers, apparently
made OF bagging patched and pcced in many places
after style that betokened plainly that the fingers
which had performed the work were more accustomed
10 handling marlingspke than needle. Hats aud
boots evidently considered eneminac luxures IN
the community and accordingly eschewed On
the reporters introducing himself Smith, the In.
tcrvals between the bites the "hard tack" he
munching told his story.
THE STORY OF THE cAsrAwAY.
1t appears that he belongs to the village OF Sxnxcs,
miles from Boston, where his father mother,
two brothers and a sister reside. His father is
opad in vnrp "A md hoy had heen ar
omed TO help him. The work was very distastciu,
however 10 Frcd md when the latter part OF Nay
his father bought ledge and proposed 10 work with
vigor he as he says asked and obtained permission
to go He accordingly proceeded to Boston and
made his way to Commercial street to the Shipping
office of Captain Fluke, gentleman who would seem in
the light OF succeeding evcrts have been appropriately
named. There the BOY signed papers engaging hin-
sell cabin boy OF The fishing schooner Charles
Allsrum, owned aud sailed by Hugh McPhadden who,
notwithstanding his name, IS an American. He was
Immediately sent TO Provincctown. where the vessel
lay, anu reported TO the captain The latter, Two days
before saing, induced the lad to sign other papers,
the purport OF which he did not understand To use
the boys words, 81 didn't think anything, but
signed my name, and when got out to sea Iound
had engaged 10 be fisherman instead OF cabin boy.
We saisd from Provincetown the last day OF May,
and reached the hshing banks in ABOUT two weeks.
had TO do u mans work. standing watch catching and
cleaning the fish. There ways OF fishing. ono
is with single hand ne and the other is with trawl
or line about mie long Each boat has two biz tubs
hold tho lines cocd up in them It's pretty large
line, you Know SIR, because there Is good deal OF
weight It, and to every three feet Is attached
of smaller line, three feet long, with balted hook.
Then every there is what Is called gauge or
large line, with hook Each holds 500 hooks.
making
ONE THOUSAND LINE
We'll, at four O'Clock every afternoon two OF
would have into each dory and pull with tho
travis: sometimes the sea was washing clear over the
vessel but we had to go. All the time was out did
not see Two clear days 1t was SO foggy that we could
not the length OF the vessel. anu the boats only
found their way back TO the ship by tho sound OF
horn blown from the rigging. Several OF the got
beyond the sound OF the horn and we're lost but after
ward, by good luck found their way back l used Ia
go out win one of the crew. Hc and would the
traw while pulled the boat away from the vessel
I'll all the line out When that done had
to pull back to the ship and work around cleaning the
%psHsa pea ana ops sars aan va
In the afternoon, when got back alter setting the
travis TIL three O'Clock the next morning. Then We
had always to be in the morning at three o'clock 10
go out and haul in the travis That took about four
hours oh, that was worse than hand lining or
and every hook had sh 1t struggling to got away,
It almost killed me- Sometimes halibuts, weighing
fifty pounds, would be the hooks, and u used to
hands to pieces to pull In the heavy lines"
FOG.
funess Of that part Of his story They were as large
the hands OF fullgrown, muscular farm labsrer.
The SKIN was thick as sole leather wfnkied and cor;
with blsters and holes from which large pieces
had been torn. zone day. he continued, al was out
IN dory alone, fishing with a small line, and right
ahead OF me was tho mate another employed in
the same way. was kind Of green hand, you know,
but followed him along the best COULD but he pulled
better than could and he got out OF my sight in the
fog There was running at ALL so could noV
tell by that which way the vessel lay. II was about
halt past three the morning. just after daybreak
and pulled about till trying 10 nnd the shin l
saw nothing of Il, and from that time lot nv boat
drift was awiulIy hungry and did not know what
to DO
PICKED uP
About four O'Clock In the evonIng tho fog lifted and
saw q schooner pulled for IL, but missed ID
tho log which fell again. Then drftcd little while
tlI saw her again and pulled up 70 her. She turned
out to be tho East Wind, fishing vessel from Prov.
incetown She was anchored when saw hcr and She
crew was engaged in fishing went board and told
my story to Captain Dowling. He pretty hard
man. too. went to work ike OF the crew. and
did mans work till morning, when Sail
ing eastward, about the 18th Of July, saw the brig
Enrca becsmed and drifting along little the west
ward, about miles and half Well wanted 70 go
home. and SO TO the captain, will you let me
take my boat had the dory hoisted up board the
vessel-and 20 homer could the vessel was ~
ing eastward Hc said. "I don't care; you can either
stay co." So the crew lowered down my dory fixed
the pugholes mp and pulled board this vessel ThaS
just weeks yesterday Captain Fiamin and the
mate, Matteo Pasquam, have been very kind 70 ma
When nrst came on board they gave me change Of
clothing and they have not asked 70 stand sinRlo
watch said an unkind TO me- The captain
10 gong to SEQ the authorities and have me senS
home"
The lad despite his hardshps has not been cured Of
his prejudice against granite for declared thai n he
could obtain work in New York he would NOT 70 home
He would be no bad addition 10 the crew OF YACHT
MECHANICS AMI IT'D nEDSs q urRnn