The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1897-02-25

NOVA Scot1ans ana spanish ship IN the
Yankee boats and take their pay in good
American dollars. But the boats them
selves are of Gloucester build, and their
captains are Gloucester born aud bred.
When a fishing boat sails for the
banks, she carries provisions for six
months or more, and in her hold are
great bins Of salt sufficient TO keep all
the cod which can be piled into her.
She is not a Commodious craft at best,
but the greater part of the space below
decks must be reserved for the catch,
and so the crews quarters are always
cramped. The dozen or 10 men are
crowded into q little cabin in which
there is just room enough for q row of
narrow hunks ON each side Of a table in
the center. In the forward end is the
cooks galley, where that dignitary exer-
cises q wonderful economy of space in
disposing Of his pots and pans.
Even on deck there is little room, for
what space is not occupied by the water
butts and other casks is taken up by the
dories, which fit into each other like so
many spoons. But fishermen have
neither time nor inclination for prone
nading
Once the banks aro reached the cap
tain picks out his berth, furls his sails,
drops his anchor and sets little trian-
gular piece of canvas known as q riding
sail. Just how he knows where to find
the fish he will not explain. Perhaps he
couldn't if he tried, but know he does,
or else he would never be captain of o
Gloucester fisherman. The average navi-
gator would worry, himself sick in try
ing to find out where he was after float
ing around ON the banks for a few
weeks, changing berths in the fog or in
the dark. The Gloucester skipper may
not trouble to "take .-- -" once a
month, but still he has fair idea Of the
exact spot of the banks ON which his
anchor rests. There is tradition that
some Of the veterans among them can
determine their location by simply
smelling Of the lead as it comes from
the bottom. This even beats the old yarn
which is told in rhyme Of Obadiah Fol-
ger, the Nantucket whaler whose mate
tried to puzzle him by dipping the tai
lowed enc. of the sounding lead into
box Of earth brought from home, The
grizzled captain was not to be fooled
that way, however, for he sang out in
great alarm:
Nantucket's sunk, know, know.
Marin Starbuck's squash beds Just below.
Heave no the leadl Heave hol
At any rate, they are the most skill
full Of navigators, and, what is more to
tho purpose, they know the banks better
than the streets of their native town
and are more familiar with the habits
of the cod than Of their next door neigh
bors.
Once the anchor is down the dories
are sent out TO set the travis. They are
slight, frail looking little boats, sharp
at each end, with straight sides and fat
bottoms, but they viii ride like ducks
over seas that make big steamships stag
ger. Even the French fishing briggs send
to Gloucester after their dories. Two
men are sent out in q boat. One man
rowswhiie the other pays out the trawl,
long rope. buoycd at each end, TO
which the lincs and hooks are attached
Each boat Carries several Of these travis,
and as soon as the last one is set and
anchored il is time to row back TO the
fr7t one.
Beginning at one end, the fisherman
Dnlls IN the trawl On his L--A- 10