The Washington herald., 1914-07-08
The Fishers Of chaleur Bay.
BY EMERY }. HAYNES.

A stormy water is Chaleur Bay. All the New
Brunswick coast is the home of the storms in winter
and here a summers day recently the sudden winds
blew "a hundred miles hour, so such of the fisher.
men as lived through it declare
Nova Scotia and the region thereabouts is in
habited by the bravest and best of people. They
main through all undermining changes of the original
Yankee type that once filed New England. Espe.
ciay is this of the fishermen Gloucester on the
coast of Massachusetts, continues to live by the FISH
ing industry. The sea lets only the braveA and the
strongest survive There are the mighty storms
the same victories, the same widows and orphans.
One hundred and twenty-five men and boys went
to the bottom in hour on Chaleur Bay the count
thus far Fathers and sons, ali the males of a
family, often make up the Of one smack. Often
the of indying hope and take their places
on the seward gazing rocks in vain vigil for the
lost 1t is of the strange powers of the that
fascinates watcher day after day.
Eyangenes still sit on the headlands. looking far
out on the water. The ocean smiles. There is now
no storm. There many sails passing up and down,
and they are all alike Yonder sail may be the very
one for which the woman is waiting. He was cast
away perhaps and has been picked Up from some un-
frequented shore Such stories have been true in the
past The women begule the hours by telling to each
/ have observed wife, mother, a sweetheart and
daughters kneeling in prayer They stretch out plead
ing hands to the god of the sea Yonder woman,
with closed eyes. sitting on a rock of this granite
coast alone with barred head she is no doubt engaged
in silent prayer.
One may come to think OF the sea as god II is
so immense. so powerful, at times so kind when it
gives food Once this concept gets hold of the
mind it seems that the answers with smiles, and
whisper like voice is in the swash Of the silver
breakers along the shore 1t is thus that reason tot
ters. Then kind hands lead the woman away.
There are many vocations in which the work
man takes his life in his hands for the bread of
en- and children VIII the workman's compensation
law penalize the sea, II sails his own boat the
sea his employer and he loses his life will the
ever be made liable? Why rot? The sea destroyed
him. Let Congress pass a law 10 assess the sea.
Is it not picture, exact and true, OF many a man
Of us? Perhaps all Of u.s. The risk is our own. We
have protection against most of the casualties-
such of our boat and set sail in daring
liberty TO go anywhere, everywhere, that we think
there fish to be caught
Often the women cling hard and say DO not GO"
But must go. We have great plans and we would
not brook inspector like the factory Inspector
We bid the women pray for us and watch for our
return with the boat full OF fish. We think know
he cruel sea and can master it. No doubt we pray
Tor ourselves, but rely superior Intelligence.
There will always be some high minded, venture
ome spirits who refuse to work in the factory. They
,wn boat and are fishers in an infinite sea. 1t is
,ny little while that one is in the railroad train.
When one gets off he walks alone to his boat and in
ures his fortunes himself.
There is inspiration at Marble Head and Glouces-
er and Chaleur Bay. One gets nerve by studying
hese people attacking the ocean if it were only
arm. There is always a church steeple cleaning
hove the huts' Of fshermans village. You may
noticed this fact a round the coasts of England
70 man surpasses the fisher in his love of liberty. He
nay go where he dares. The infinite lies about him.
lis defense is his skill with The boat-his boat