Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1882-10-27
WHOLE NO. 1141.
Fish ,rmen's SuperstitiOns.

A SOok about the Gloucester fishermen
says that fishermen are famous fOr their
superstitions. One of their newest ones
works most benelcially to science. Many
of the most important contributions to
the fish department of the National
Museum at Washington come from the
the Gloucester fishermen, who have de-
veloped a great interest in the work, and
save for the museum the rare specimens
frequently taken during their voyages.
They carry special tanks for preserving
these collections, and believe that these
tanks are the means of bringing good
luck to a craft. The old belief in lucky
and unlucky sailing days is said to be
dying 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 a fine Friday comes after a spell of
bad weather, to see large fleet spread
sail and depart for the fishing grounds.
A belief in "Ionahs' prevails among
fishermen. 4 t."h may be something
animate or ina ID. &c, or even the result
of the actions or accidents of persons; in
fact. almost everything that is supposed
to bring ill-luck is called a Jonah. A
vessel regarded as unfortunate is thus
said to be a 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
fishermen in securing berth aboard .
vessel, because they have the reputation
of 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
cumstance of this kind is recalled. Sew
eral years ago new vessel was brought
to Gloucester from the port where she
was built. She was of the largest class
employed in the fisheries-a beauty in
model and rig-and the skipper, who
was young man and part owner, felt .
commendable 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: ''rm
sorry you have had that vessel built"
When asked for his reasons he cOntin-
ued: "I have known the man who built
her to launch more than twenty schoon-
ers during the past few years, and mono
of them ever made 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 SCI" 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 q
pride in his business. Finally, becoming
disgusted 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 yet
two years oldO 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
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-
tion of man who was at work on the
vessel: " Are you going to carry that
man?" Receiving an affirmative reply,
he continued: ''You won't get any fish.
then. He's 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 Q
Jonah.