Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1895-10-04
Saint Maru's Beacon
SOME DANGERS OF the DEEP.

IL the fatalities of the sea that
could be traced directly and indi-
rectly to marine animals could be
collected every year they would
make not only interesting but start
ling reading. In the really pacific
waters Of the Western ocean we
have but little idea Of the dangers
Of the sea, but stroll through the
New England towns OF Gloucester,
Marblehead, Swampscott and 9TH
ers will show them to have an ex-
traordinary number of widows in
proportion to the population.
This is particularly true of Glou-
cester, where the widows and orph-
ans Of fishermen make small army.
The fishermen were all lost on the
Grand Banks, or the Georges Banks
of the cod fisheries. They were
either run down by ocean steamers
that go over the banks at full speed,
often hitting the vessels in the fog,
or the frail schconers were destroy
ed in the terrific gales that sweep
over the country.
1t may be of interest to glance
at the yearly loss Of men who lose
their lives in the effort to provide
the country with salt cod. From
1880 to 1881 2,249 were drowned
from codfshermen-leaying 1900
widows and between 1000 and
5000 orphans, not to speak of 9TH
er persons dependent upon them.
The loss in insurance during this
time was about million and half,
and the number of vessels lost 419
"a remarkable showing for a single
line of business. The loss of these
1000 or more men means a recital
of incidents that cannot be equaled
in the annals of heroism.
The writer knows of one vessel
that was lying at anchor with all
hands below except the watch that
was struck down by steamer. All
were drowned except one man, who
drifted "a hours before he was pick
ed up. Another schooner was sail
ing in the fog when she was sud-
denly capsized by a steamer that
rolled her completely over, the men
dropping out Of their hammocks to
the ceiling and then to the floor as
she quickly righted. The man at
the wheel was dashed 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 the
outgoing steamers. The scene
when the fishing fleet returns after
great losses is described as heart
rending. Then there is always the
uncertainty, many men having been
picked up and carried to foreign
countries.
The losses from the whaling fleets
are not SO great as formerly, but 80
years ago they were very noticeable,
often amounting to several hundred
men in year. The vessels are
sometimes crushed in the ice or q
whale kills the men by demolishing
the boat. A remarkable accident
occurred some years ago which,
while in a fully equipped whaleboat,
was observed only by one man. The
whale had beea struck and was
sounding at terrific rate of speed,
when in some way a coil Of rope
caught about the foot of the har-
pooner and in second he was gone.
The accident took place before the
entire crew, but was so suddenly &C
complished that but one man saw
the disappearance.
Many fatalities of the sea are laid
to the sharks, but accidents from
this source are comparatively rare.
In diligent search for authentic
instances of large sharks devouring
men i found but two that could be
attested to. One was man whose
family / knew, and the instance is
well known and remarkable for the
ferocity displayed by the fish. In
1874 l was fishing off the Isles of
Shoals with q codfisherman, 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 attempted
to tip over boats and dine on the