The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1882-08-12
Flshermen'S Supe<stitiOns.

A book about the Gloucester fishermen
says that fishermen are famous for their
'uperstltions. One of their newest ones
works most beneficially to science. Many
u the most important contributions to
S4e hsh department of the National
Iuseum at Washington come from the
Inc gloucester fishermen, who have de-
Neloped great interest in the work, and
save Ior the museum the rare specimens
r I'equentlY taken during their VOYAGES.
hney carry special tanks for preserving
tHeSe collections, and believe that these
IallKS are the means of bringing GOOD
luck to craft. The old belief in lucky
ana unlucky sailing days is said to be
oylng out among the Gloucester fisher
men, fact said to be due, in degree at
least, to the sharp competition that has
sprung up. 1t is not an unusual sight,
when fine Friday comes after a spell of
pau weather, to see large fleet spread
san and depart for the fishing grounds.
belief in "Jonahs'' prevails among
fishermen. A Jonah may be something
anllhate or lnanimate, or even the result
OF The actions or accidents of persons; in
lact, almost everything that is supposed
10 Dring ill-luck is called a Jonah. A
vessel regarded as unfortunate is thus
sad to be Jonah; it is often difficult to
obtain crew of good men for her if men
are scarce, although she may be well
adapted for the business. Equal trouble
Is also sometimes experienced by expert
nshermen in securing a berth aboard a
vessel, because they have the reputation
1Gf being Jonahs. 1t occasionally hap
pens that some vessels meet with ill-for-
tune for years in succession and under
such circumstances, that evidence of
their being Jonahs is as strong as
proofs Of holy writ. A singular cir
cumstanee of this kind is recalled. Sew
eral years ago a new vessel was brought
to Glouceter from the port where she
was built. She was of the largest class
employed N the fisheries-a beauty in
model and rig-and the skipper, who
was young man and part owner, felt a
commendabe pride in his fine schooner.
one day, however, an acquaintance of
the Captain said to him while the vessel
was being fitted for her first trip: Pm
sorry you have had that vessel built"
When asked for his reasons he contin-
ued: g have known the man who built
hert to launch more than twenty schoon-
ers during the past few years, and none
OF them ever made a dollar for their
owners, while few of them have lived
more than two or three years, being
either wrecked on the shore or foundered
at sea. Strange to say, the first Capt
ain who sailed in this schooner had no
luck for nineteen months, although he
had previously been fortunate and felt a
| pride in his business. Finally, becoming
disgrSted and somewhat disheartened,
he sold out his share in the vessel and
left her, almost convinced that what had
been told him by his friend was not far
from the truth. The schooner (not vet
two years old) was lost at sea on her
next voyage. The Captain and two of
the crew were drowned, and the survi-
vors, after enduring much suffering while
| lashed to the wreck, were finally taken
off and returned come. This schooner
was continually meeting with ill-fortune
from the day she first sailed out of Glou-
cester harbor to the time of her wreck.
The belief in Jonahs fortunately often
meets with rebuff so severe as to hinder
it from becoming anything like general
one. One skipper once inquired of
another, nodding his head in the direc-
ton of man who was at work on the
vessel: 8" Are you going to carry that
man." Receiving an affirmative reply,
he continued: "You won't get any fish,
then. He's a regular Jonah" The re-
ply was: "Jonah or no Jonah, he goes
this trip anyway" The trip in question
proved a successful one, and nothing
more was heard of the man being a
Jonah.