The Camden chronicle. (Camden, Tenn.) 1890-current, 1903-05-29
AT THE END OF THE LOG-LTNE.
BY ALBERT w. TOLMAN.


You'd like to know what SCARED
my hands so badly?" said the cap
tain. We'll take the tiller while we
make this long reach to the fishing
grounds, and I'll tell you. It's some
thing that happened about Is years
ago, long before l settled down to
shore fishing and taking city men out
for a days try at the cod.
1'In the winter of SO / went out of
Gloucester to the Banks as first hand
on the schooner Never Fear. When
we pulled up our anchor for the last
time, in March, and started for Bos-
ton, we were full of cod to the deck
beams, and sure to make over $50
man. Everybody on board was feeling
good.
Five of the feet got under way to-
gether. Talk about your cup races!
They don't compare for a minute with
a brush between three or four fisher
men with their bowsprits pointed for
market and home after a fresh trip
to the Bonks. Minutes mean dollars
then. Every stitch set, lee rails un-
der, and nothing taken in after it's
blown away!
For the first hour it was nose and
nose between US by the wind, all log
gilg over 10 knots with stiff northerly
breeze. Then the Never Fear drew
ahead of the bunch, and we shook a
ropes end over the taffrail. You can't
blame a crew for feeling little frs
ky when they're leading the fleet, and
their duck is lifting them landward
at the rate of a mile every six min
utes.
Before dark we had good lead
over the nearest schooner, and when
we went down to supper their running
lights were twinkling we'll astern. The
wind showed no signs Of going down;
on the contrary it seemed to be fresh
ening every minute. This just suited
us, for we had the best rough-weather
boat on the Banks, and we knew that,
even if we did have to put in single
reef, our rivals behind would be put
ting in two.
The cook gave us the best he had
that night. If there was a man on
board who failed to do justice to that
smoking hot supper, didn't see him
The only dissatisfied ones were the
watch on deck, who began to be afraid
that there wouldn't be anything left
for them, and who kept shouting down
the companionway for us to give them
a show
"After supper those who had no
work on hand busted themselves in
writing letters, making boats, or play
ing games. During the trip I had
played checkers a good deal with one
of the men named Howard Johnson. A
few days before we had arranged a
tournament of five games; each had
won two, and now was o come the
rubber. We set our pieces, and three
or four of our shipmates gathered
round us to watch the battle.
''The board was equipped after
unioue fashion. In the middle Of each
souare was a little hole to receive .
short brad fixed in the bottom OF the
checkers. This prevented them from
rolling off, and we could play even
when the vessel was on her beam ends
without fear that the position OF oul
men would be disturbed by the motion
cat It we went in good earnest ano
a series of cautious exchanges soon lef
MS only three kings apiece. Then en-
sued several minutes Of maneuyerinl
TO gain the advantage. ! was just get
ting my opponent in tight place whei
all at once we heard the captain shou
from deck: go,
"'All hands to reef the rai1sail'