The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1876-01-02
FISHERIES OF THE NORTH.
VISIT TO THE HdRDY MEN VINO
ser NLTS IN LAKE ONTARIO.

What the cod aud the mackerel nre to
tho sturdy inhabitants Of New Engaud's bois
verOus coast. the white nsh and the lake trout
are to the residents Of the hamleis and the
cities IN the region 81 the great lakes 1hev
furnish an inexhaustibe and economical supply
Of food, and their capture and sale give pio1t
able employment to thousands Of honest men.
In magnitude the fresh water fisheries are not
70 be compared with those OF the sea coast, hut
the Industry IL scarcely less important proper
tionaly and It IA so rapidly increasing AZ to at
tract the attention Of even the metropolitan and
New ENGLAND nsh dealers. The white FISH, the
lake trout, the pike. and the black bass are ac-
corded quite as conspicuous positions on the
Fulton Market slabs as are their cousins from
the sea BRINE, ard the number Of barrels Of the
hrst .wo named that 90 into pickle for winter
AMI early 81 ing eating shows that the mackerel
dealers no longer monopoljze the pickled nsh
business.
THO mon who lsh In the great lakes doubtless
take their lives In their hands oftener than do
the fishermen IN any other part Of America.
Their most profitable season II In the late fan,
and then the lake storms work their most ter
rt1,e destruction. Their approach Is unhcrnld-
ca. and their fury Is without parallel. Squalls
drop fr IN clear SKY, and storm clouds gather
ana hurst while man Is lighting his pipe. In
svo miuu es' time water that had for hours
been "a placid a. Central PARK pond. Is turncd
INTO foamine, seethinG tumult Of lumpv
waves, from whith sheets Of spray are torn and
carried w In miniature watorsuuuts. There l.
no steady swell In these fresh water seas As In
the ocean, nor Is there any tide or rcroeotihle
cur ent, md the water Is as quickly quietcd as
WIS sgitated. provided the wind ceases as
suddenly as 1t tcg to blow. The men set
their uets Tor white fish, at soue seasons, near
tic bottom In the deepest water. and this deep
at 4 iav ,ff.4 slt nt IA mint fuin4
from land. Tue storm striees them perhaps
while they are setting or hitting their nets. II
The wind settles down to a steady blow from
any gwen dir, elton. they simlly laugh at ITS
fury, Tor they can soon put tnor stancn lsning
boat To- a place oI safety. Tut the wind has not
a hanit Il blowing steadily in th"se parts, nj
comiul IN puns and gusts, aud seemingly from
ooAcu uinGtnt ouccluns a, the same imc. 10
tests tne sailors uet'e ahd sAnl To save niniscf
and his craft.
VISIT 40 1uE LAKE ONTARIO MEN.
Ec,r all tne hamlet. .nat skilt tho jeff rson
anu wcgu DutY sNntts GOD laNe Ont rio are
oWuOsed r-ely oi hah.rncn's ilmiIcs. Capt
Vin'eri. ne tNe snut wner, the Ike poufs its
waters int tut ST. Lawrence River, j. a lIrs
shiroiug pu'nt.a ave ai-. iutee lie Bay, Chl,-
np,t, and Dexter r. these places tine h-h are
taken a. son a possible .t. er tuev re caught.
~ DE packed o., ic' ud sent 10 market. Dittan
not IN &C. tn.n twenty mites lr'", tnese depo,s
the nS.trm,n occupy thcir c.Dius. anu from
~nich The, stat q" set tatir nets
Stony Island, four miles long ma tali init,
wiue. Its snores IL rock u tao. * cpt Il tn
foot. vince "a long hueer of white stoUes and
clean gr,sel r.. up from tue depth, OF Gear
pure ter, stretches out ihre ike 60 , point.
On this point are a score or more Of cabins, aud
by each Catin Is q great swivel GA Nnicu hets
are wound to Dry aud to be rcpired. Ia SUM
ner this Is one Of the most dtugiffu u spots,
ior close Oy IS refreshing shaue lhe l.Ae
breeze IS cool ana welcome. aud the scenery rs
unsurp s-ed. The ., Heron county size IT, rises
er dn Nv IRON tue va IS Ia su'c sion of
hIlls' 1ntl Che edge OF ne ere i9rest t. al ex.
against he SKY. There Is a long sweep ~ shore
a. the lett, enyened bs stretches OF woodland,
green groves. n Ids, ana groups 81 white houses,
each group with ITS single church spre raised
nee Gle ike over the dwellings,. still further
away Is tue head Of Long Island. IN the s.. Law
renee river. and way beyond that, on cie Z
dsy, the outlines oi the Canadian shore seem to
noa. 90 tne tant water. l." ne Iisnt Is the
nothing has happened Since its battle of 1872.
and from II tue snote reaches around IN curve
!ot mhes, ne eoast' ior nearly ultY ues,
takes To itself the shape OF = horseshoe, ana oar
island, situated we'll away from the LAND, com
mands view OF It's entire length: Otner ISLANDS
close by oreak the nouotohy Of VISION IN the
opposite direction In tue late tdll tue island Is
not 30 pleasant, being exposed 10 tue cutting
winds ana the fury OF storms;
Tue caUius are substantial structures. each
containing Fix hunks DIled with straw, a cook
stove, table, anu a lew ouairs. hlugn ilcluth
suits hung irotn pegs aud fragments OF net,
cords and sails irescO the walls. SIX men OTdi-
nariy use II cabin, aud many OF them are occu-
pied nearly eiEht mouths IN the year, for ice
nets. In October and November, however, the
scene is The hyeliest aud tue colUuy Is the
tolliest.
FIsHERMAN's SUPPER.
IL was in the latter named month, II seems
only few days ago, IN Uncle Pnnee stevens,
landed visitor at the foot OF the islaud. he
STRANGER who falls 10 with these men is treated
them would gladly sleep On the hOor TO give the
foreigner a bunk, or would delight Ia sharing
with MIN the last Uiletul Of tGbscoo. Every
door Is wide open; ever thing Is at his service.
The more be makes himself Il home, the more
satisfaction he gives, aud n he chances To he a
eood story teller, or can play n toleraule stave
on the vi'lin, or can b Id top hand at nign,
low, Jack, his popularity 10 established without
&C IA for fur-her credentials.
IL was nisn,iali: Inc men bad Just returned
Inc supper la some Of the cabins were ,ncient
md ruue hrepldCes uf stOue, aud from them the
nres 1iea-si warm and cheerful Great pots Of
coffee were stesInlns and eenerous slices Of salt
pork and the uaintIest parts Of the dainty white
hsh were spulteuuG In tee fryinguans, Ivy Qr
three mrs were burning ON the beach, for some
Of the men have notion that an open ire Is
better 10 cook by than Is the stove, ana then,
too, II affords an opportunity To prepare the hsn
In the most popular manner among them, that
10 baking 1t on "a board. The nsu are prepared
and seasoned. piuned To a board by wooden
pegs, and then board and all prouped up
close 70 the IRE. he fish IS very quickly baked
brown, and ~ this method 1t retains a It's
havoT. Another popular, but lazy, method is to
cuver the hsh win clav two Inches thick, aud
throw II INTO the hottest Of the IRE. he clay
hArdens almost Instantly. ami the 1sh in ITS
tough oven nakes through aud through retain
ing also its JUICES. 4 he clay Is then poked out
sharp stroke with a stick sepdrates II from the
hsh. The hsh's skin peels Oh with the clay. and
the dish h ready. Plain bread aud potatoes
constitute the rest OF tue meal Inere are 10
women Ia the colony; tho men are their own
housekeepers. Alter Supper the pipes are pro
ouced and tue fishermen gathering In the larg
est cabins devote the evening To hilarity aud
mirth, spinning yarns, playing cards, ncing
JUDAS. aud never neglectng TO keep the room IA
misty with totaccu smoke as ~ a Fourth ard
GU mill on the nlgut 80 n primary meeting.
bNeis $3.50" MINUTES nsnermen stride to the door
90 geL pOu On the weather probabilities Tor The
following day, and every vaIi ton in the wind,
stir In tue clouds or twinkle OF the stars Is grave
D announced to the merry makers within.
Everybody assured the visitor that twas goin
70 Diow from the nor'west right steady terInor-
ToT," and that he might well MAKE 40 his
mind TO st,y ashore all day, there would be nc
getting out.
THE WRECK or THE TwI BROTHERS.
Sure enough, toward morning II did begin "a
blow with ~ uncertain sound and ere break
fast was cleared away chill blasts from the
Canadian forests were chasing each other across
the Lake, and raising great waves, and 1lling the
biting tir with spray thlt froze wherever II
struck Tne men gathered In Uncle Prince
bteVens's cabin, and resumed their pipes, tneil
songs, aud their tales.