The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1892-05-17

white cotton, but II the women '"" -
any sort Of holiday attire the upper sNirs
NAV be Of scarlet, yellow or green 'oopeu
most gracefully above the lower skirt anu
s,,rmounted by a black cloth, or III rare
INSTANCES a coarse velvet bodice. 1hey
rarely wear any foot covering ana oniS
such head covering as Is supplied ~ 'he
folds Of the upper skirt.
Although the coastwise ltaiian hsner
men differ from the Venetian lagoon nSH-
ers who are hereditarily distinct cNiss
,,aking their living by shOal nshlng ana
uadino in the mud for crabs and other
sbeIlGsh in being invariably deep sea hsh-
ors still the are never fond OF long Voy-
olee and rarely pass more than three OF
~ NIGHTS on the water at one trip. Ihey
are fond. like the Chioggian fishers Oh
forming small fleets Of five or SIX craft 10,
fishing in one locality. and keeping one Oh
their "bragozM," with its crew. pi9,hs
hack and forth with the catches, ei,nei
directly to market towns with fresh iiSH Oh
Ia their own home ports with hsh LOT cur
ing. tho
fTheir craft are wholly different from inc
lagoon fishers, being especially DrOa' anu
aat and large and important OF fuu"e''
unon which indeed depends almost the en-
tire MANAGEMENT Of the little vessels. lhis
Ieing within the control Of one man. OF
two ut most. the crew, whether large OF
s,os;l are left free handed for the nets, the
methods Of SLOWING" paying out OF
setting and hauling Of which closely re-
semble those Of both British and American
coast fishers
The women do not shrink from even the
rouobest labor on the sea- and il Is no I'M
oo,nrnoo SIGHT 10 see wife and daughters
handling ropes, nets and sails, cleaning OF
sorting fish on deck or vigorously engaged
in any necessary labor Of the boat. Indeed,
so far a. my observation goes, these Usher
mems wives are the propclling, active, IN
donitable force Of their lives and IYeh-
hood Their movements are vigorous ana
even virile. while the men are phlegmatIc
and slow At the tiller, in unfurling OF
reefng the sails. paying out or hauling IN
the nets slowing away the fish, transfer
ring them from their craft to the market
bragozzo IN hauling the boats upon the
beach. ia spreading and drying the nets, IN
fact in every possible manner IN which they
labor beside or in advance Of their hus-
bands. they lay hold of their toll with
vigor and muscular vim exhibiting tire
uoendous energy and force. Their reach OF
arm and stride of leg are remarkable, ana
the muscles OF their shoulders and breasts
show extraordinary development.
The superstitions of these Italian Usher
men are singularly fewer than those Of al
most any others Of his class, and most OF
those which they possess are OF a painfully
pious sort They are deeply deyout PEG
ple They are also densely Ignorant. They
positively know nothing else in their dull
lives but their rude fishing and how 10 eat
and sleep They are animal as much as
have ever found men, although their ami
NAL dizziness and soddenness IS Of the gen
tie rather than the vicious sort. They
therefore do not possess the quick and crea
tive fancy of their brethren Of the Scotch
and Irish coasts, who. rs one of the latter
once said TO me, "catch more bugaboOs
than fish"
This Iethargic quality is illustrated by
their inordnate capacity for food and
sleep, and especially the latter. The mo
ment the fisher arrives on shore his labors
which. if his quests have not been fan
and dangerous, have already been per
formed largely by women aboard his
bragozzo-are at an end. His banchetto OF
shore coming feast is always ready, and nc
betakes himself to this, while his wife
cares for boat. gear and fish. with the rapa
city of a half famished dog. / have often
seen "A single fisherman thus eat at one
sitting more than a quart OF stufa OF
hodgepodge stew of shredded fish and
vegetables, a pound of bread and that
dearest Of all delicacies 10 an Italian fisher
man, a poleuta or chestnut flour pudding
bigger than his shaggy head, with goats
milk cheese as large rs his fist.
This done, he filings himself upon his
belly on the floor of his hut or beside his
habitation in the warm sand Of the shore
side street, and Instantly becomes oblivious
10 all worldly concerns In sleep, and he
will sleep from twelve 10 twenty hours
without changing his position. Often have
come into these little fishing villages
and while all was hustle and activity
among the women, found score of men
thus disposed in doorways or half burrow-
ed in the sand, until il seemed as though
these sea rowing sluggards were all lying
in a helpless drunken stupOr, or were mere
/ ly the bodies OF dead fishermen cast up
! from the deep
Several odd objects are carried by the
| Italian fisherman as necessary 10 good
luck in general. A tiny paddle, fashioned
| from "A chestnut tree that has been struck
| by lightning, has unusual power FOR good,
! although | never could secure the reason
for their faith. The figure of little
humpbacked man called a g0bbO, a globe
! 4 H.. nd a wit n
star in its beak are frequently painted
upon the sails. All Of these possess for
tuitous influences Another favorite good
luck token is little brass orcia or cruei
of oil IL is kept carefully sealed and
FURNISHED, and a few drops are cast upon
the waters if the fish are not sufficiently
plentiful or if storm threatens the utter
ruption of their work But most essential
OF all things to these tOilers OF the sea is a
muscino or kitten. No bragozzo can put
ont from land without this, aud if such
mischance should happen, all on board
would surely be lost.
The blind faith Of these folk in the eff
cacy of blessed and holy relics to appease
the wrath of the sea is indeed pathetic
Many keep themselves in a state Of utter
impoverishment in providing necessary
amulets and charms. Not only is the fish
erman's person covered with these, but his
boat must also possess all possible saving
power through these religious appliances
Should some great storm arise and genu
inc danger come, one 10y one these appeasa
tive objects are cast upon the waves with a
faith that is positively sublime. Meantime
/ his wife ashore possessed Of the same i'm
phcit and piOus confidence gives her mos.
precious relics 20 the sea that her husband