The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1892-04-10

Ter, in unfurling or reefng the sails,
paying out or hauling In the nets, slowing
away the fish, transferring them from their
craft to the market brGgcZzO. In hauling the
boats upon the beach. in spreading and
drying the nets, in fact in every possible
manner in which they labor beside or in ad-
vance Of their husbands. they lay hold of
their toll with a vgoT aud muscular vim
exhibiting tremendous energy and force
Their reach of arm aud stride of
leg are very remarkable and the mus
cles Of their shoulders and breasts
show extraordinary Development Study
ing them as j have often done when
they were unconscious Of observation,
their strange, grutf voices, their brawny
frames, their immense brute strength, and
above all, their savage energy Of action,
has prompted the thought that if any future
Masaneilo were to lean from among the
fisher folk with the dread shout of "Mofte
al NAL goyernop the Eesistless liberator
would prove an Italian fisherwoman rather
than an Italian fisherman.
The superstltiGns of these Italian fisher
men are slngularly fewer than those OF al
most any others Of their class. and most of
those which they possess are of q pain
fully pions sort. They are deeply deyout
people. They are also deDsely ignorant.
They positively know nothing else In
their dull lives but their rude fishing and
how to eat and sleep. They are animal
as much as | have ever found men. a.
ness is Of the gentle rather than the
vicious sort. They therefore do not pos
sess the qnick and creative fancy Of their
brethren Of the Scotch and Irish coasts,
who, as one Of the latter once said to me,
"cateh more bugaboos than fish"
This lethargic quality is illustrated by
their inordinate capacity for food and sleep
and especially tie latter. The moment the
fisher arrives OH shore his labors-which, if
his quests have not been far and dangerous
have already been performed largely by
women aboard his bragoZZ0-are at an end.
His banehetto or shore-coming feast is
always ready, and he betakes himself to
THIS, while his wife cares for boat gear and
hsh, with the rapacity of a half-famished
dog. have often seen single fisherman
thus eat at one sitting more than quart of
stufa or hodgepodge stew OF shredded fish
and vegetables, pound Of bread. and that
dearest oil all de!lcacles TO an Italian fisher
man. polenta, or chestnut -four pudding,
bigger than his shaggy head. with a goat =
milk cheese a 6 large as his fist.
This done he filings himself on his belly
upon the floor Of his hut or beside his habi-
tatlOn IN the warm sand of the shore de
street, and Instantly becomes oblivous to
all worldly concerns in sleep; and he will
sleep from y to 20 hours without changing
bis position. Often have i come into these
little fishing villages and, while all was bus
tie and activity among the women, found a
score OF men thus disposed in doorwavs or
half burrOwed in the sand, until 1t seemed
as though these sea-royi sluggards were
all lying IN helpless drunken Stupor or
were merely the bodies OF dead fishermen
cast up from the deep.
Several odd objects are carried by the
Italian fisherman as necessary to good luck
IN general tiny paddle fashioned from
chestnut tree that has been struck by light
ming has unusual power for good, although
never could secure the reason for their faith,
The figure OF little humpbacked man
called gobbo, globe surmounted
by cross and a cock with a star
In Its beak are frequently painted
upon the sails. All Of these possess fortui-
tous influences. Another favorite good
luck token is little brass orcia or cruet Of
oil. Ii Is kept carefully sealed and bur.
nishe0, and lew drops are cast upon the
waters II the fish are not sufficiently plenti-
full or IL a storm threatens the interruption
OF their work. But most essential of all
things to these toiers of the sea is mus
elmo, or kitten. No bragozzo can put out
from land without this. and If such mis-
chance should happen all on board would
surely be lost.
The blind faith of these folk in the eff
cacy oil blessed and holy relics to appease
the wrath OF the sea is indeed pathetic.
Many keep themselves in state of utter
lmpoverlshment in providing necessary
amulets and charms. Not only is the
hsheTmsn's person covered with these,
but his boat must also possess all possible
saving power through these religious ap-
plianceS. Should some great storm arise
and genuine danger come. one by ooe
these appeasitive objects are cast upon the
waves with faith that is positively sub
lime. Meantime his wife ashore nos
sessed of the same implicit and pous con-
fidenCe, gives her most precious relics to
the sea that ber husband may come safe
to land. And l have no doubt that when
fatal disaster comes as it always does, this
man sinks into the silences beneath the
tempest with his last spark of vital con-
seiousness an undimmed flame Of trust and
faith. EDGAR l.. WAKEMAN.
Chioggia. Italy. March 20.