The evening herald. [volume] (Shenandoah, Pa.) 1891-1966, 1895-01-10

yearly loss of mon who lose their lives in
the effort to provide the country with salt
cod From 1880 to 1881, 2,249 were
drowned from cod fishermen, leaving
/, 800 widows and between 4, 600 and 5000
orphans, not to speak of other persons de-
pendent upon them. The loss in insurance
during this time was about 81, 500, 900,
and the number of vessels lost 419--a re-
markable showing for a single line of
business. The loss of these g, GOO OF more
men means recital of incidents that can
not be equaled in the annals of heroism
The writer knows of one vessel that was
lying at anchor, with all hands below ex-
cept the watch, that was struck by a steam
er. All were drowned except the man at
the wheel, who drifted ~ hours before he
was picked up. Another schooner was
sailing in the fog when she was suddenly
capsized by a steamer that rolled her com
pletely over the men dropping out of their
hammooks to the ceiling and then to the
floor as she quickly righted. The man at
the wheel was lashed and was found half
drowned.
Many men have been lost in the fog in
their dories and nearly starved to death
before they were found, while others are
picked up by outgoing steamers. The
scene when the fishing feet returns after
great losses is described as heartrending.
Then there is always the uncertainty, and
many men have been picked up and car
ried to foreign countries.
The losses from the whaling fleets are
not so great as formerly, but 80 years ago
they were very noticeable often amount
ing to several hundred men in a year
! The vessels are sometimes crushed in the
ice, or a whale kills the men by demolish-
ing the boat A remarkable accident oo-
| Cured some years ago, which, while in a
| fully equipped whaloboat, was observed
by only one man. The whale had been
| struck and was sounding at a terrific rate
/ of speed when in some way a coil of rope
caught about the foot of the harpooner,
| and in second he was gone. The acci-
| dent took place before the entire crew,
but was so suddenly accomplished that
but one man saw tho disappearance.
Many fatalities of the sea are laid to
sharks, but accidents from this source are
! comparatively rare. In a diligent search
| for authentic instances of large sharks de
vouring men found but two that could
| be attested to. One was a man whose
| family l knew, and the instance is well
| known and remarkable for the ferooity
| displayed by the fish
In 1874 was fishing off the isles of
| Shoals with cod fisherman, who told me
that when his father was a young man
there was a large shark that infested the
/ coast which had on several occasions at
| tempted to tip over boats and dine on the
occupants, and once or twice the young
man had been driven ashore by it. The
date corresponded within a month with
that of a tragedy which occurred about 30
miles south, or at Lynn, and which was
undoubtedly caused by the same fish. A
well known citizen of Lynn went out with
fishing party, and after short time left
| the schooner, taking small dory, which
he anchored not !, 600 feet from the vessel
Suddenly he was heard to shout, and those
on the vessel distinctly saw huge shark
throw itself over the dory and sink it,
| making off with the unfortunate man,
whose cries for aid were of no avail.
The other one was that of a sailor on
! the Mediterranean who left vessel to
| take a swim in the sea. A shark was seen
| swimming toward him by some of the
crew, who started to row out TO meet the
| swimmer but before they reached the
spot the shark had seized him and cut
him in two.
The little shark, or dogfsh, of the New
| England coast has not very savOry repu-
tatiun in these waters 1 have seen them
in such schools that it was impossible to
throw line over without their biting it.
They appeared to be starving, and on one
occasion bit a sail into shreds that was
hanging overheard.
| These ravenous fish appear so suddenly
| that recall one day one could not he
seen in that portion of coast, and the neEt
day the fishermen all gave up their regu
lar fishing ard devoted themselves to dog
fishing, bringing the fish in by the boat
load.
At such times it is extremely danger
Gus to fall overheard, and numerous fatal
ities point to the conclusion that these lit
tie sharks are as dangerous as man eater
! On one occasion some children were play
ing about the deck of a schooner when on,
fell overheard, and by the time the CROW
reached the side the body was surrounded
by living bah of dogfshes and torn il
: pieces A fisherman, having left his dor
. anchored in a cove during run of thes
fish, swan ont to it and was caught b.
them and killed in sighJ Of his friends o.
the beach, who could not aid him-Sal
Francisco Call.