The Republican journal., 1912-01-25
THE GRAND BANKS F1sHERMEN.

Prefer to Take Chances on Making /,
Wonderful Catch" Rather than 70
Accept Stated Wages.
Perhaps no place in the great oceans
of the world holds more local Interest
than the Grand Banks Of Newfoundland
where for three hundred years fisher.
men have battled with fogs and storms
and during the last half century, at least.
with great ocean liners rushing from
shore to shore, in their endeayor to win
from the sea a livelihood and Competence
and in which struggle annually MANY fish
ermen are swept to death. The value of
the Goldfish that are taken annually from
these waters averages about S., O0O. OO0.
and some 1000 men follow the Industry
It is beneath the dignity of Gloucester
fisherman to work for wages. He de-
mands a share of the catch, and fortu-
nate is the fisherman who averages 500
a month as his share of the profits of a
trip.
Contracts are usually made SO that one
half the value of the catch goes to the
owners of the vessel and from the re-
naming half expenses are deducted. the
vessel sharing these expenses equally
with the crew and then taking as an ad-
ditional profit one-fifth, say, of the resi-
due, the crew sharing equally in the bal
ance. One curious provision is that the
cook, also the engineer, if the vessel is
equipped with gasoline engine, shall
share equally with the crew.
Why men will follow so very hazardous
a calling in these days, when money can
be so much more safely if not easily
earned ashore, is readily explained by the
love of gambling that is inherent in hu-
man nature, and then, too, the love OF
the sea is born in these Gloucester fisher
men. 1t is game of chance all around;
and to win against such odds as these
men fight gives zest to their en-
beavers that those who live quiet lives
on shore never experience. Struggling
with the elements, sometimes winning,
sometimes losing, making virile men,
too, whom the nation can draw on to re-
place the degenerating influences of city
living. Through many generations,
however, in Gloucester not only have the
men gambled with fortune and death,
rivations and more often suffer early
widowhood than n t. Only when the
sea claims them or theirs do they give
over the game.
The fishing is done from dories,
and when a schooner reaches the
grounds these are launched and each
is taken in charge by two men.
Travis Qong deep-sea fishing lines)
are spread out from the schooner in
directions like the spokes of a wheel,
the vessel being the hub; smaller lines
with hooks baited. hang from these
travis, usually to the number of about
5000, each dory taking charge of one.
1t is from these small craft that so many
casualties happen: They get lost in the
fog, are swamped, or are run down by
passing shipping, as familiarity with
danger frequently makes the fishermen
extremely hazardous.
The introduction of gasolene- propelled
schooners is working one change. 1t is
lessening the risk and hence attracting
capitalists. These, however, are offering
regular guaranteed wages, frequently
500 month, to the fishermen; but the
latter except in rare instances refuse to
accept the innovation. 1t does not mat
ter to real Gloucester fisherman that
he will do fairly we'll if he nets but $50
for his share when gambling on the
catch of cod, or that he is hardly likely,
even with excellent luck, to make hum
dred, there always remains the hope of a
wonderful voyage, and only when he is
driven to it by circumstances wholly be-
yond his control will he work for stated
wages. The Marine Journal.