The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1883-08-18
The Newha-en Fishwives.

II. II. In September Atlantic.
Most picturesque of all the figures TO be
seen in Edinburgh are the Newhaven fish
wives. With short, full, blue cloth petit
coats, reaching barely to their ankles; white
blouses and gay kerchiefs; big, long-sleeved
coaks of the same blue cloth, fastened at the
throat but flying loose, sleeves and all; as if
thrown on in haste; the girls bareheaded; the
married women with white caps, standing
up stiff and straight in a point on the top of
the head; two big wicker-work creels. one
above the other full of fish, packed securely
on their broad shoulders and held in place
by stout leather strap passing round their
foreheads, they pull along at steady, strid-
ing gait, up hill and down, carrying weights
that it taxes mans strength
merely to lift. In fact, it is fishwife's boast
that she will run with a weight which it
takes two men to put on her back. BY rea.
son of this great strength on the part OF the
women, and their immemorial habit of ex-
ercising it; perhaps also from other causes
far back in the early days of Jutland, where
these curious Newhaven fishing folk
are said to have originated, it
has come about that the New
haven men are singularly docie and sub
missye race The wives keep all the money
which they receive for the fish, and the hus-
bands take what is given them-a singular
reversion of the situation in most COMMUNE
ties. / did not believe this when it was told
me, so l stopped three ishwives one day,
and, without mincing matters put the ques-
ton direct to them. Two OF them were
young, one. old. The young women laughed
saucily. and the old woman smiled, but they
all replied unhesitatingly, that they had the
spending of all the money.
Its a. spent i the hoos," said one, anx-
ious not to be thought too selfish; hts a.
an tax their sleep, an then they'll be aft
again"
1T 'ud never do for the husbands to stoop
in tina city, an be spendin' a. the money"
added the old woman with severe emphasis
Whoever would see the Newhaven fish
wives at their best must be ON the Newhaven
wharf by o'clock in the morning on a day
when the trawlers come in and the fish is
sold. The scene is a study for painter.
The fish are in long, narrow boxes on the
wharf ranged at the base of the sea wall;
some sorted out in piles, each kind by itself;
skates, with their long tails. which look
vicious as if they could kick, bake, witches,
brill, SOLE founders, huge catfish, crayfish,
and herrings by the ton. The wall is crowded
with men, Edinburgh fishmougers, come to
buy cheap on the spot. The wall is not over
two feet wide, and here they stand, lean over,
iostle, slip by to right and left OF each other.
and run up and down in their eager haste to
catch the eye of one auctioneer, or to get first
speech with another. The wharf is crowded
with women-an army in blue, two hundred.
three hundred, at a time white CAPS bob
bling, elbows thrusting, shrill voices crying,
fiery blue eyes shining. it is a sight WORTH
going to Scotland for. If one has had an af-
fiction for Christie tombstone, it is a delight
full return Of his old admiration for her. A
dozen faces which might be ChTistie's own are
flashing up from the crowd; one understands
on the instant how that best of good stories
came to be written. A man with eyes in bis
head and pen in his hand could not have
done less such fire, such honesty, such
splendor of vitality, kindle the women's
faces. TO spend a few days among them
would be to see Christie tombstone drama
tized on all Sides