Wichita eagle., 1888-08-25
THE FISHERMAN'S SIGNS.
HE STOUTLY DENIES THAT HE
Is AT ALL SUPERSTlTlOUS.

But He Believes That Wet Sunday Al
ways Follows Wet Friday-Bad Luck
To Break Looking GIass-Other Mys-
teries.
''Next Sunday viii be wet
SLOW can you tellF'
'Wet Friday, wet Sunday, replied an old
fisherman who was smoking a well colored
neerschaum Pipe and discussing cup OF
strong, black coffee in an eating saloon. He
was typical fisherman He had large,
clear blue ewes, a bushy head Of hair, and a
hand as hard as a marlinspike. He stoutly
denied that sailors were superstitious, and
maintained that their reasonings were
founded on fact and not fiction No book
for him In spite of his denial, however, fish
ernen are probably the most superstitious
class Of people on earth.
Just tell me something about fisherman's
life and his superstition" asked the reporter
of the veteran.
Fishermen don't have any superstitions,
sir, and if they have they are far below those
that you land lubbers are prey to-"
''You just now mentioned one; wet Friday,
wet Sunday"
That's no superstition; that's 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 fol-
lowed by wet Sunday"
AN UNLUCKT DAY.
'Don't you think it superstitions not to go
fishing on Fridays Why should you select
that as being an unlucky dayf'
mo, I don't Just so long as fish have
lived in the water and men have taken them
out. Friday has been an unluc6y day for
our trade. You just try it and you'll find
that I'm right"
why is il that you never allowwhistling
on board fishing boatT
Because me boy, it's calling on old Nick
to make his appearance, and he always brings
wind with him"
Fishermen don't like to begin any under
taking on Monday. What's the reason OF
that superstition'
Il told you minute ago that it was not q
superstition. The meaning Of it is bad Mon
day, 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 I
and just as sure as it occurred a gale came on
and blew great guns, and we were compelled
TO run for shelter. If that failed, then We
caught no fish. I've known men that had to
90 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 told you that got good drubbing
from . skipper under whom once sailed be-
7 = --<Nfr I'D ,ot
the ship with her head pointing to the sun"
What did that signifyw
sit means simply defying the elements,
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 predictions"
SIGNS OF THE HEAVENS.
''Oh, that is simple Year in and year out
we study the signs OF the heavens, which arc
very accurate. Certain stars, bright or
dull, mean certain things. The wind from
a given certain quarter in a certain month
is almost sure to bring stormy, fair, dry or
wet weather, as the case may be. The moon
gives US q good deal of information; if she is
on her back, then look out for storm; if
her horns are well pointed then you may ex-
pect 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 a good rain storm or a steady rain
fall Then the big and little bears give Us
some useful knowledge, according TO the Diff
ferent positions they assume"
when going on a fishing trip mean, of
course, deep sea fishing-how is it that you
can tell exactly where to set your net or cast
your hnes9"
That's as easy as smoking your pipe. You
see, a rock or a bank is situated exactly by
the compass in certain bearing or locality.
Well, we can tel just well without a conf
pass, and it is very simple. Suppose tho
fishing ground is ten, twenty or thirty miles
from the land. We sail III the direction Of
il until we get two headlauds in one, as it
were Then we can tell TO dot how far we
are out. and consequently we know where
the fishing bank is, but we sail on until one
of the head lands 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, q
lighthouse or a land bluff all tend to show tho
accustomed eye OF a fisherman where he is. J"
Then it isn't true that you can tell by the
waters"
In some cases we can, but as a general
rule our land bearings are the most reliable. "
There is no emergency that would compel
fisherman TO make any repairs on Sunday,
either in the sail department, rigging or hull
of the vessel"
Experience has taught US that Sundays
must be kept If you drive nail in the
piece of the wood of your vessel on Sunday
look out, for that is what We call mailing 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 or ears the moment you go out have
myself had needles break in my hand when I
attempted 10 sew on Sunday. That was when
l was q youngster, and thought it would be a
big thing TO defy the rules Lewiston
Journal
Burning Bricks in Kiln.