The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1883-10-27


Like sailors, the Cape Ann fishermen
are quite superstitious; one finds the
study of this trait quite interesting. Tho
superstition against beginning a trip on
Friday is strong with them. When
vessel sails near enough to Halfway
Rock, ON the Bank voyage, the crew
are apt to pitch coppers and nickels
upon it, ITO bring them good luck"
They believe that if a sea-bird alights
ON a vessel blown out to sea it is bad
omen-if bee or land-bird, good one;
and some have been known from such .
mishap to put back to port and change
the trip. The more ignorant believe in
witches and the numerous spirits OF
flood and fell. The locale of Captain
Kidd's treasures is often under discus
sion in the forecastles. But their most
singular and widespread belief is in
s.Jonahs." These may be animate or
inanimate, men or things; but that some
are unfortunate, while others bring good
luck, is the firm belief of the true fisher
man. and he has an array of facts to
fortify his belief. He will tell You of .
certain builder that has turned on
twenty schooners from his stocks and
not one of them has cleared their
owners q penny. He will instance
another vessel that in five annual trips
brought in five of the largest fares
known to the port, and that never
misses q full fare. He will point to one
man-an able seaman and expert fish,
er-who always brings bad luck to the
crew he ships with, while the same
crew, on getting rid of him, finds its
former good fortune return. A valise,
violin, checker-board, toy boat, .
bucket ON deck, half full of water,
dropping hatch into the hold, break
ing a l0oking-glass, driving nails on
Sunday, are all Jonahs. There are few
| fishermen who will not whistle for q
breeze when it is calm, or stick knife
in the after side of the mainmast to
bring a fair wind. and it. is a we'll
known fact that If hook is stuck in
| the hand, thrusting it Immediately into
a piece of pine will prevent soreness OF
the wound. But it is in the matter OF
dreams and premonitions that the fish
erman's superstition finds readiest
| channels. Columns might be filed
| with the dreams that have come true to
the knowledge of the old shippers who
abound in the port. Two instances will
serve to show the flavor of these eerie
recollectiOns.
On the 7th of September, 1871, the
schooner Sachem, Of. Gloucester, was
| nearing Georges. when at midnight
the steward, John Nelson, appeared al
the Captains berth in great agitation,
and besought him to change his course
toward land, as some great catastrophe
was about to happen. He had just had
| dream, he said, of females clad IL
white crossing brook. Twice before
similar apparition had visited him
and in both cases accidents had hap
pened-in the first, q collision that lef
them in q sinking condition; in ths
second, gale that nearly wrecked tn
ship, the crew barely succeeding II
getting her into port. The Captain de
cided not to change his course, bu
was so impressed by the mans earnest
ness that he gave orders to the watcl
to keep sharp lookout. At. half-pas
l a. M, the vessel being near George
the watch observed bright light off b
leeward; simultaneously one of tn
crew sung out from the forecastle tina
the; schooner was filing, and, tru
enough, an examination disclosed 81,
inches of water above the floor. Tn
pumps were at once set to work, ant
efforts made to find the leak, but with
out avail and in the morning the crey
left the vessel, which then had eighteel
inches of water on the forecastle floor
She sank at 2 p. M.
Il Al - n mi nfr,v.o