The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1912-03-10
zRa SAN FRANCISCO
SUNDAY nhI /
By Marion Pearson


~ church at Grant avenue and FIJI
bert street Inside a group OF
men and women were kneeling-pray-
ing and weeping. At the high altar the
hickering candles sent q melancholy
light into the gray gloom The voice
OF the priest saying mass rose and fen
and finally died away in the long drawn
the soul Of Gaspare Giovanni Gaspars
had been one OF the fishermen OF the
little colony at the foot of Mason
street. and his funeral services were
being conducted with much pomp and
dignity.
Just IN front OF the chancel kneeling
with bowed heads about the coffin were
his comrades of the sea-a1l who were
ashore st the time. They wore the
uniform OF La societe-dark blue fan
mel shirt. black trousers, high boots
and red sash. Their broad black, stir
brirnmed hats lay beside them on the
floor.
When mass was over the funeral pro-
cession passed down the street below
where, IN spite OF the rain and bois-
ferrous wind. q group of women and
children had gathered to see the hearss
drive away and to look with sympathy
upon Gaspare's widow, who held in her
arms a tiny bambino.
At the same hour out at sea little
fishing boat was being tossed and
pitched by a furious wind. It's two
occupants were straining every nerve
and muscle to reach Tomales bay For
"a hours there had been for these men
no sky, no stars. no sun. nothing but
heavy, low hanging clouds and a wild
sea-no sound save the shrek of the
wind and the cry of the sea birds.
Until this trip the boat had been
manned by three and their triangular
efforts had always won for 1t an easy
right of way despite the angriest mood
OF the elements. But six days before
Gaspare Giovanni, one of the trio, had
lain very III at home, and these fellow
craftsmen OF his. true to the spirit that
binds together these toi1ers of the sea,
had taken upon themselves his share
OF the work so that the little fishing
smack might go out as usual and earn
q living for the three.
Everything had gone well with the
men until a sudden onslaught of wind
and rain had taken them unawares, and
now. bareheaded and drenched by sea
and rain. they were throwing their ef-
forts into reaching the bay that would
shelter them until break in the
clouds promised them a safe trip home.
All Of that afternoon they were beaten
and bufeted by the waves Just be-
fore the darkness OF night set in there
was q lull in the storm, the wind
shifted and grew steady, and the little
boat went bowling along into the
smooth waters OF Tomales bay. where
they were greeted heartily by the lusty
voices of other fishermen who had al
ready put IN there to escape the fury
OF the tempest
.
There is a bond among the fishermen
at F1shermens wharf. the like OF which
can not be found the world over. It is
the bond OF the sea plus something that
is born Of necessity to these homesick
people IN a strange and faroff land
something that dwells in the blood and
shines in the eyes and keeps alive in
each heart the responsibility for all
Death only cements and makes this
tie stronger. When one of their num-
Der dies his widow and children be-
come the sacred charge of his COM
rades. and they look to it that always
his boat takes its accustomed place IN
Monday cuts its way across the fat
bay and through the Golden gate.
Each of the boats of the little fish
ing colony has crew Of at least three,
who share alike in its earnings. If
death takes one of them, the remain
Ing two do his work and when the
boat returns laden down with the shin
Ing fish. the widow receives the same
amount of ..ne proceeds that would
have been her husbands had he lived
70 go to sea himself This is the un-
written law of La Societe.
La Societe sci Pescatori is sort of
union. The fishermen look to it and
obey it as their chief. and in return
1t fights their fights for them against
any oppression, protects and saves
b them when they fall into the clutches
Of what it considers to be an unjust
law. and when they die 1t sees that
they are laid out in state and buried
with much ceremony.
The society's strorg Z arms reach from
the most northern fisheries in Alaska to
dne most southern in Califoxnds- 1t has