The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1899-12-26
THE FISHERS OF
NEWFOUNDLAND
Some Features Of the Life on Shores
of the Island
AN UNCERTAIN CALLING
wreck from the Viewpoint OF the
Thrifty Natives who Get Their
Living from the
Sea.


life OF the average fisherman IL not more
toiisone, perhaps than that Of the other
laborins millions OF the world, but IL Is
certainly more uncertain and pciuods.
Ills life has been described as four montnS
hard work and eight months play. ms
1 think. Is an exaggefation Of Inc play
time, ana II we say that half me year
he Is fishing. ana the other nan '"h'ns
q spell" as he calls %, We shall he nearer
the mark.
During the season the industrious coast
fisherman is ahoat I'm his boat almost De-
fore Sc Is daylight. and sails or rows, ac-
cording as the wind Is. TO his fishing
ground Unless the cod are uncommonIy
plentiful, the shore sees MIN no more
until nightfan on his small craft he
possesses the means Of making hre
and there he cooks himself one OF the hsh
he has canght. brews cup oi tea' ana
eats his dOughbOy His consumption Oh
tea is enormous. ana that. with the ieaaeh
qualities OF the dOughboy. which Is noun
Ing but a round lump Of cooked dough, 10
doubt tends 20 prQdce the DIS spsia which
Is 50 common among the population.
Even during the season there are great
many DAYS when gales prevent him from
going 10 sea II is fortunate II these
self helping the women 10 make the
fish. II wet. however. there IS nothing
usually to he done but TO cit around So
ignoble inaction.
his fare IL Of the simplest kind. / nave
more than ohce seen the preparation OF 'he
evening meal of a man who had Deeh
away since dawn, and who might ne eN-
peciod TO have a rare appetite against MS
return The good wife half filled "a small
nan with -four among which she poured
sufficient molasses 10 knead IL into
dough After rolling this into two cakes
she placed one on a plate and strewed
little OF the preserves Of the wild fdsp-
berry on IL. The other "bannock was
placed on top and after judicious iring
in The oven. behold, pie And. on such
pie Guiltless Of yeast or rising OF any
SORT. IL was truly unieavened bread I had
the opportunity Of indulging in this salts
fying fare subsequently, and my respect
Tor the Newfoundland man rose as ! con
sidered how many generations he has en-
durod this and yet refrained from homi-
eide This, however. was but "a confec.
tion-the solid consisted of generous
share OF turnips and potatoes mashed up
together Pots and pots Of tea, sweetened
with mOlasses and milkless. and bread,
without butter. completed the repast' IT
cannot &c said that the Newfoundland
fisherman keeps himself poor with riotous
living.
When he is in a situation to earn wages
and board himself his expenditures on
housekeeping are Of the most parsimoni0us
description. On Belle Island the wage Is
10 cents an hour, and as in the long sum
mer days the hours are many the earn
ings Of the men are considered handsome
Their families are not on the island. ana
the workmen erect little novels In the
neighboring woods whore as many OF
them sleep as can be packed under its
roof The great concern is 10 send as
much money back 10 the good wife and
little ones as possible. so that there may
be "A full larder or what they consider
fun larder. all winter when the work
closes down. For this purpose these poor
fellows live on about 81 month Indeed.
IS Is considered the maximum. There Is
no baker on the island and they have, &C
cordingly. to enlist the services OF the
resident hsher-wOmen 10 bake bread lor
them. the charge for this service being 10
cents a stone. On week days no nesh
passes the lips of the great majority or
them, but on Sunday Il is usual TO nave
feast-nan.ely. pork and cabbage ms IS
considered "A banquet that even an AmeIl-
can millionaire might think himseH lucky
I'm sharing.
Fishing is VIGOROUSLY an uncertain call
ing. The motions of fish are past all
understanding. One season they will visit
every part of these shores and those OF
Iaborador in their countless shoals. The
next season certain bays or even whole
shore will he almost deserted The her
ring are especially hckle. and there ART
places that were once good herring
grounds that have scarcely seen herring
for many years All sorts OF theories are
advanced TO account for this. some OF
them ridiculous enough But the fact re-
mains, and when the fish fails TO turn up
In numbers at the accustomed place, desti-
tuition follows. From very early period
the government has granted relief in
such cases. II Is far easier 20 start doing
out public funds than 10 stop. and il has
now become a regular AFFAIR. The effect
Of such doles may readily be imagined.
The baser look FOR them. and the higher
minded soon accept the philosophy that
they have as much right TO a share as
any one else.
Another phase OF Newfoundland life
that should not be dismissed without
reference is In respect TO the wrecks
which the boisterous seas cast upon the
shore. Newfoundland fishermen as a
body have undoubtedly been slandered
In regard 10 this matter In the past They
used To be represented. especially In Anne
rican Sensational papers. as a parcel OF
ghouls. lighting false fires on the rocks
Turing vessels 20 their doom. ! need not
so 80 far as TO say that such crime
was unknown As there are train wreck
ers In other lands. II may be there are
4
pable OF leading vessel to destruction
But the point IS that no positive proof OF
such practices has been furnished. 1t is
easy for captain TO excuse his own
faulty seamanship by stories about mis-
leading lights. II Is a fact. nevertheless
that when vessels have gone ashore they
have been numerically looted Indeed
80 common was this crime that European
maritime countries brought the matter
under the attention Of the Imperial Cow
eminent some years ago The authorities
Of Newfoundland pat forth strenuous ef-
forts 20 put the practice down. Judge
Prowse. a man OF great resources. inn
mense energy, knowledge OF character
and skill In detecting crime. was commits
stoned to invoke the figors Of the law for
the repression OF the offence. lie went
vigorously 90 work. and by stern meas
ures made Il vt least very unsafe TO in
dulge I'm wrecking. The prevalence Of
the custom was undoubtedly checked. and
the matter set in its true lght as Sc
fious breach OF the laws.
Some extraordinary storie are told
with regard 10 Il. II il related, for ex-
ample that IN the division on the spoil
in one Instance two men claimed piano.
Neither would abandon his right and
Il was nnaliy resolved 20 saw the in