Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1893-12-30

Their Hardships and Hl-Requttea
Toll.

Their Hardships and Ill-Requites
Toll.
From the New York Herald.
Three kinds of fishery engage the atten
ton OF the Observation-Disclosures shore
fishery. the floating fishery on the banks
or far northward, and the fishery down
on the Labrador" Each has characteristic
features, but all aim at the same prey
goldfish. All other fish. except II be sal
mon. the Newfoundland fisherman despises
Cod is money; all other fish is simply fish.
| The shore fishery is carried on from the
outports or from tits on lonely islands. A
feature of every Newfoundland outport is
the long line OF fakes. great tables upon
which the split and sailed fish are laid
out to dry. Owing to the steep shores these
fakes are much higher than those we see
on the New England and New Brunswick
shores. and often rise In tiers. In places
| like Logic bay, a picturesque fishing viii
] iage not far from st. Johns, the rocks are
| SO high and sheer that 1t IL necessary to
pass the fish from tier to tier on long pitch
| forks.
Even in those outports which are fairly
well settled the conditions of living are
deplorable enough, but the people have at
| least each others company. On the islands.
however. the misery OF isolation is added
| GO the pangs OF hunger. There win be-
perhaps, one hut on an island. and the long
winters pass without schools, churches or
human communication OF any kind.
The struggle for life" to quote the
words OF Rev. Mr.. Flynn Of Little Bay.
who Is thoroughly familiar with the subject
from personal observation, lis so great that
1t demoralizes those engaged in it." The
everlastingly in debt A shore fisherman's
average seasons catch is from ten to twelve
quintals, worth perhaps $40. and he must
worry through the winter on barrel or
two of herring and what -four and molssses
he can obtain In exchange for his fish, A
few Of the more fortunate can secure a
small supply of potatoes. Some Of the
more enterprisfng go into the woods. build
themselves a winter hut, and saw boards,
which they take to the supply man IL part
payment for the summer supplies.
Much OF this distress is. i think, due to
the fsherman's lack Of resources. He can
fish. fut he can do little else. II he could
turn his hand to agriculture he might at
least partially solve the problem of food,
riculture is not an easy matter in New
foundland, as any one who has coasted
along its rugged shores can realize. But
among the rocks are patches OF soil. and
In the interior broad acres which could be
turned to account The fisherman could at
least raise vegetables for his own table.
Yet one rarely sees the green OF the gar
den. There are 50 many picturesque feat
ures about the Newfoundland and Labra-
dor fishery that the casual tourist cannot
realize the misery that lies beneath this
superficial attractiveness. The bold and
deeply indented shores. the numerous
rocky islands. the glittering spray dashing
high into the air the pillows roll up
against the iron-bound shores. the staunch
fishing craft. the great hulking fishermen
and the women busy at the fiakes-aIl
these combine to impress the traveller with
the picturesqueness of the scene and to
endow the fishery with those romantic at
which n halnnC 10 an
the ocean.
All this is. however. superficial Even
the men and women have not the stamina
which might be expected from their mus
cular development. Big as they are phys
ically speaking. their faces usually show
traces of suffering. A hsherman's life
down on the Labrador" is one Of contin-
uous toll. with precious little reward.
There are but few permanent residents in
this desolate land-not more than 1000 1t
IS said-of whom about 1000 are Eskimo.
cross the straits of Belle Isle every sum-
mer and take up temporary abode In
La brador.
Superhcially looked at, the scenes about
Labrador fishing stage are pleasant
enough. One sees dapper little CASHIERS"
with their reddish sails, scurrying along
and sending the spray flying from their
bows; the heavier Jacks" or "bullies"
blowing more laboriously through the
waves: a schooner at anchor. her nets
hung from her spars to dry, bellying and
cr1nkunS IN the winQ with ever-changtnQ
lights and shadows on their weather
stained meshes; heavy harges rowing slow
ly along shore while the fisherman in the
bow thrusts his submarine glass into the
water and peers through It, hoping for a
good sight of fish on the bottom" and
above all, on the rocky point jutting fur
thest out to sea, the flag of the merchant
who downs the room" huttering in the
breeze.
But the undercurrent of toll and suffering
is always there-womea saving and chop
ping wood. men, large Of frame but with
dark circles under their eyes and lines that
tell OF privauon in their faces mepdiug
nets, returning from fishing or about set
ting out TO fish: the usual sod-covered huts
and scores of lean. starved and treacher-
Gus looking dogs-half Eskimo prowling
about the place swapping at each other
snarling and yeiping.
During the long winter. when, as often
happens, only one rouHteik dog sleD mail
can get through overland from Quebec
and when news of Battle Harhor viii rer-
haps not reach Newfoundland much before
June, the parson and his wife do their
best to improve the conlitioa of the peo-
pie. There is a pubic sewing machine
and when oil gets scarce the women meet
ana sew at the parsonage, 50 ,hat one lamp
may do service for manv.
There Is even a semblance OF Christmas
keeping in this dreary rock -houad barber
the men. when they are unable to cut a
fir tree because of the deep snow and fee.
| cutting boughs and making an imitation
| tree of them.