Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1888-07-21
NOT SUPERATITlOUS.
Toilers of the Deep Who Are Governed
by Queer Lore.
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Toilers OF the Deep Who Are Governed
by Queer Lore.
Next Sunday will be wet"
Glow can You tell ?"
'Net Friday, wet Sunday" replied an
old fisherman, who was smoking we'll
colored meerschaum pipe and discussing
cup Of strong, black coffee in a dining-sa-
loon. He was a typical fisherman. He
had large, clear blue eyes, bushy head of
hair, and a hand as hard as a marlinspike.
He stoutly denied that fishermen were su-
perstitious, and maintained that their rea-
sonings were founded on fact and not fic-
ton. No book for him. In spite of his
denial, however, fisherman are probably
the most superstItious class of people on
earth.
Gust tell NE something about fisher
mans life and his superstitions," asked the
reporter of the veteran.
Fishermen don't have any supersti-
tons sir, and if they have they are far be-
low those you land-lubbers are prey to-"
~ on Just now mentioned one Wet
Friday, wet Sunday"
That's no superstition that's a fact and
one you can't alter. I've grown old in the
business and as long as | can remember
I've never seen wet Friday that was not
followed by wet Sunday"
Don't you think it superstitious not to
go fishing on Friday? Why should you
select that as being an unlucky day."
No, l don't. just so long as fish have
| lived in the water and men have taken
| them out, Friday has been an unlucky day
for our trade. You Just try it, and you'll
find that Pm right"
Why is ii that you nevers allow whist
Ling on board a fishing boat %
Because, my boy, it's calling on Old
Nick to make his appearance, and he
always brings wind with him"
Fishermen don't like to begin anv I'M
dertaking on Monday. What is the reason
of that superstition :"
81 told you minute ago that it was not
a superstition. The meaning of it is, bad
Monday, bad week"
Now, if one of your shipmates should
smash looking-glass on board ship you
give up all hope of getting good haul ?'
Yes, sir; | never saw it fail yet, and |
have seen a good many broken in my time
and just as sure as it occurred a gale came
on and blew great guns, and we were COM
PEELED to run for shelter If that failed.
WILL w NdhSiib nv 1911. L VIC hLOWU men
that have had to go out of the business
because they were always smashing things,
and no one would sail with them. | dare
say you would laugh at me if l told you
that got good drubbing from skipper
under whom | once sailed because showed
the dory off from the side Of the ship with
her head pointing to the sum-"
what did that signify ~
" 1t means simply defying the clements,
and whenever you do that, take my word
that nothing good comes from it."
How is it that you are SO certain of
your storm prediction ?"
'Oh that is simple. Year in and year
out we study the signs of the heavens,
which are very accurate. Certain stars,
bright or dull, mean certain things. The
wind from a given certain quarter in
certain month is almost sure to bring
stormy, fair, dry or wet weather, as the
case may be. The moon gives us good
deal of information; if she is on her back,
then look out for storm if her horns are
well pointed then you may expect cool or
cold weather. according to the season of
the year. If there is large hazy circle
around the moon, then you may look out
for good rain-storm or steady rainfall
Then the Big and Little Bears give us some
useful knowledge, according to the differ
| ent positions they assume"
When going on fishing trip mean,
of course, deep-sea fishing-how is it that
you can tell exactly where to set your net
or cast your liner
That's as easy as smoking your pipe.
You see, a rock or bank is situated ex-
act w Inv fba in
of locality. Well, we can tell Just as well
without a compass, and it is very simple
Suppose the fishing ground is ten, twenty
or thirty miles from the land. We sail in
| the direction of it until we get two head
lands in one, as it were. Then we can tell
to dot how far we are out, and conse-
quently we know where the fishing bank
is, but we sail on until only one of the
headlands or banks is visible. That gives
US so many miles, just as exactly as if YOU
measured it with tape, SO that we know
where we are. A high church steeple or
a lighthouse of land bluff shows the
accustomed eve of fisherman where he
is"
"Then it isn't true that you can tell by
the water?"
In some cases we can, but as general
rule our land bearings are the most relia-
ble."
''There is no emergency that would COM
pei fisherman to make any repairs on
Sunday, either in the sail department, rig
ging or hull of the vessel ?"
Experience has taught us that Sunday
must be kept. If you drive a nail in the
piece of the wood Of your vessel on Sun
day look out, for that is what we call nail
ing the trip. Should you mend your sails
the first wind rips them again, and if you
fix or mend your rigging it will come down
about your head and ears the moment you
go out | have myself had sail-needles
break in my hand when 1 attempted to
sew on Sunday. That was when / was a
youngster and thought it would be big
thing to defy the rules.-Leuiston Me-
Journal.