The Coolidge examiner., 1934-06-22

notably IA Spain. Whiiby JET IL dis
| tlnctlve.
Most os the famous craftsmen
are dead. and there has been .
tendency for their successors 10
keep the standardized designs But
here and there one Of them will
show a fash OF originality. and hope
endures that the pendulum OF fash
Ion win swing back
The fossils which form the sec
ond bow OF the whliby set dealers
have 8 more strictly scientiac In
terest The commoncsi Is the am.
monte II IL found In immense pro
fusion along the entire coast. but
from the gcoloZlSts point of Visw
It's most interesting aspect is It's eK.
traordlnary variety. The amm0n-
lie. of course. was q marine animal
belonging 10 the family OF squlds
and ociopuses. Its nearest exist.
lng relative Is the nautilus.
The ammonits. which is particu-
larry abundant on the rocks at the
foot Of the Abbey elf. has given
rise 10 an interesting legend which
Siili nnds credenee among whltby
Usher folk They believe II 20 be
the pe,r!aed remains OF a snake
Rarely. however. Ia specimen
found with It's head intact. The
story goes that In the days Of ST.
Hilda. the district suffered from a
plague OF adderA The holy lady
was prevailed upon 20 Use her info
ence against them. with the result
that nrst their heads were prayed
OF and then their bodies we're
turned into stone.
Cottages of the Fishermen.
From the main streets OF whl,by
-BaItergate. Flowergaie, Church
street-Rnd thence from skinner
street. sandgaie. HaxEersgate and
ST. AIMS Staith. narrow lanes twls,
among the old cottages or lead 20
watery dead end&
AAt NSAAhAfa atS UNA&A al hi1AAAAk
confusion. one has the impression
that they must have pushed them
selves up. mushroom fashion. from
the ground whenever there was
space. They have no gardens They
have. with few exceptions. no view
save into their nelghbor's parlor or
down his chimney stack. They are,
however. all built on one general
plan. which gives 4 kitchen. parlor.
4 best room, two bedrooms, and an
attic. Their architects and build
ers were oil men OF the sea. To
day II is chiefly the fishermen who
live In them.
Even the fishing trade at whItby
has suffered more than an ordinary
share OF economic vielssitude. Old
residents OF the town can remem-
ber the time when. In summer. dur
Ing the height OF the North sea her
ring season. the harbor was for.
est OF masts. And they have since
seen the time when the unloading
OF a solitary herring drifter ere
ated a sensation. The herring trade
has vanished But that spirit with
out which no industry can thrive has
remained alive In the breasts OF the
sturdy WhItby men. and the port
has OF late years experienced a re
vlval In the crab and lobster trade.
cobIs a Fine Surf Boat.
That view 10 the east, across the
harbor. so beloved OF painters and
photographers. would not be com.
plete without the fishing craft.
moored hard up TO the very
threshold OF the cottages; without
the lobster pots stacked upon the
quays. the salmon nets spread out
on poles to dry In the sun; without
the groups OF blue jerseyed. salt
tanned men. busy with their gear or
gossiping. Some OF these men are
old. white bearded. and loQuaclous
but most OF them are In their prime.
tall. square-shouldered; soft, catlike
in the way they move about, re-
strained In their speech, watchful.
The type OF craft characteristic
OF the coast is the cobie. No pho
tograph can show its superb sailing
qualities. Its design Is the evolu-
tlonary outcome OF conditions. II
Is pre-eminently a surf boat.
The coble's greatest draft Is for
ward. and on an open shore II Is
landed stern first. its slender bows
offering no resistance to the surf.
II sails fast and very close to the
wind. because its long rudder acts
as keel But the rudder Is also
a source OF danger. for Il may foul a
mass OF seaweed or become en-
tangled in anchored fishing gear
when the boat Is In a heavy breeze.
The coble, Ike a spirited horse, de-
mands expert handling.