Herald and news. [volume] (West Randolph, Vt.) 1878-1943, 1894-09-06
THE MOTHER OF FISHERMEN.
Norway and Her sturdy sons-Fish a
Money.

Norway and Her sturdy Sons-ftsh as
Money.
The steamers leave England in the
afternoon, arriving at Bergen early in
the morning on the second day out.
The first glimpse Of the Norway coast
comes with the hustle of the sailor-men
on deck. Ii is something like the first
view of the coast of Ireland, only more
so. The islands of rock rise boldly out
OF the water, and before you realize
anything the steamer seems TO be
headed straight for the rocks. Then
an opening appears The man in the
pilot-hOuse, acting in obedience TO mo-
tions Of the pilots arm, steers between
the rocks and turns quickly to avoid
another, when you experience your
first real appreciation of the skill of a
Norwegian pilot in maneuvering his
ship. In and out among the rocks you
go, until finally you pass between two
mountain islands, and the city of Ber-
gen, resting at the waters edge among
mountains of bold rock from one thou
sand to two thousand feet high, is be-
fore You. When arrived in Bergen it
July, and yet day was breaking in on
the city, and it had not been dark all
night. Here was a city of fifty-three
thousand inhabitants actually cut off
from the world, appearing to have put
it back up against its mother country
and defed the rest of the world to dis
turb its peace. The atmosphere of all
tah Of
peace and liberty. Bergen is the center
of the fishing industry of the country,
and thrives mainly on this industry. She
is the queen of all fishing and
the mother of the type of fishermen that
is gradually being developed in all
lands muscular body, blue eyes, high
cheeNbones, powerful jaw, shaggy
beard, thiclIly united hair, sou wester,
big boots, sleeves rolled up, knife and
marline-spilxe in his belt, rough trous-
ers and red shirt. and always ready TO
haul in his nets, let the wind blow high
or blow low. The Norway fish and
Norwegian fishermen and sailormen are
Norways greatest gifts of to-day. Her
fisherman are type by themselves.
her sailors are fearless. faithful, and
sailors every inch of them. and her fish
are the best OF the kind in the world.
TIE codii ,hing in lustry alone yielded
about seven m llion doll airs last year
from ,ch of siXty-three million fish.
In Bergen everything IS fish. Fish are
traded FOR boots and .aclSknives. An
article is woIth two cod" or -four
herring, and if a trade cannot be made
any Other way. a few salmon are
thrown in" There is a school there
where the c;ence of fishing is taught
Everything possible is done to keep
alive the II hing interest, and no stone
is left unturned To increase the catch
each season. The season for codf,hing
opeus in January ana lasts about three
months. The fish come from the
extreme north to the fjords to
spawn and the bulk of the catch is
made in the open water off the Lofoten
islands. on the side toward the main
coast. The fishing is controlled by the
government, regularly appointed oti-
cials being present at the various fish
ing stations to settle all disputes be-
tween the fishermen and to give advice
upon the best methods of preparing the
fish. George Card Pea Sc, in Harpers
Magazine.