Show SOME QUAINT characters HARDY 01 D FISHERMEN OF THE massachusetts COAST gloucester the headquarters for those who have retired from the call ing exciting experience of capt johnson gloucester mass the real cap bains courageous made famous by kipling and lesser lights ot alc alon are no less picturesque in actual life than between the covers of a book gloucester the headquarters of the banks fishermen possesses more quaint characters perhaps than any spot in the country just at this eason while the active captains are mostly away on the banks the re ared ones offer a never falling source of interest to the summer boarders who flock to gloucester from all parts of the east but the retired ones are comparatively few for these hardy seamen follow their calling long tt what would be the limit of usefulness with most men perhaps the best known gloucester fisherman is capt alfred johnson of the schooner leila E norwood he was the first man from this port to cross the atlantic in a dory lie had several na row escapes once from drowning when he capsized out of eight of land and again when a fierce shark attacked him but he drove the big sea fighter off with a big knife at cached to the end of a pole the dory was 18 feet keel 5 feet wide 2 feet deep all deck except standing room and hatchway it was sloop rigged two jibs mainsail and square sail capt johnson seems bound to have exciting times every time he goes out on a trip a short time ago his smack the leila E norwood was run into by an ocean liner in a fog and noth ing but the steamer s watchfulness and the quick work of her officers prevented the sinking of the smack he seems to be a regular jonah for news has come in this last week that he nearly lost his boat and his life on this present trip there has been much fog out on the georges where capt johnson Is halibut fishing and it Is a dangerous place for these fish ermen for they are near the line of the ocean steamers A few days ago the crew of the norwood were in the tog when they heard the noise of a large steamer and as she came near er unseen it was feared she would strike the schooner they blew the tog horn but the steamer did not hear it quickly capt johnson ordered his men to jump into some of the dories and lie alongside ready to pull out of danger when necessary out ot the fog burst the outline ot a big tramp steamer plowing ahead at full speed brushing so close as to make the norwood dance with the swell from the steamer then the great steamer vanished into the dense teg back went capt johnson and his men to their fishing again he confessed that two such experiences so near together made him feel a bit queer although he has made money in fisheries he has not lost bis love for the aea and when april he sails out and fishes until september he owns a vessel and thus la skipper as well as fisherman when asked if he would cross the atlantic again in a dory he answered emphatically no there Is neither honor glory nor money in it now the oldest skipper Is capt soloman rowe who has followed the sea for many years among the oldest fishermen of glou cester Is alfred dates of bast glou cester he Is more than 80 years old and although he used to go as far as labrador and the georges he has not been on the deep aea for many years he stays around gloucester fishing by the day and returning home each night capt spence Is another retired deep sea fisherman but has not tol lowed the sea for years he la well known to the summer people and bits for hours and spins yarns to the ad miring groups of visitors over at an david stanwood holds the ad mi ration of the youngsters other fishermen arriving in glo idester who tor the last week have made the wharves lively with automobiles and gay young people from the surround ing resorts even from magnolia and manchester are bait leroy spinney arriving with a tare 0 pounds of salt cod and capt william H good win with pounds of the same each vessel that goes out leaves many anxious hearts behind for fishing in the deep seas Is a dangerous occupy alon and many ships never return |