n. Indeed it was regarded as a necessary on shipboard, as a
shrewd counsellor in difficulty and danger, a friendly consoler when
borne down by misfortune, and a cheerful companion in prosperity, which
could not be too often embraced.

The schooner met with head winds before she reached the meridian of Cape
Sable, and was beating about for several days between Cape Sable and
St. George's Bank. At length the wind hauled to the southward, and the
skipper put the schooner's head to the north-east, and let her run,
making a fair wind of it. On the following day, towards night, he got
soundings in twenty fathoms. "Hallo!" shouted the skipper, "what a lucky
fellow I am; I have hit the broadest and shoalest part of the Bank the
first time of trying! I verily believe I could hit a nun buoy if it was
anchored in any part of the ocean. But never mind, boys, let us freshen
the nip; we'll stand well on to the Bank, then let go the kellock, and
haul up the cod!"

He stood on for a couple of hours, when greatly to his mortification
and amazement, he found his schooner floundering and thumping on a sand
bank. She soon knocked a hole in her bottom, and the crew with great
difficulty made their escape to land, which was not far off. Even then
the skipper was disposed to believe ha had found an island on the Bank
which had never before been discovered; and it was hard work to convince
him that he was cast away on the Isle of Sable!

Another case is said to have occurred of clumsy navigation on the part
of one of our Marblehead skippers. The tale is traditionary, but no less
authentic on that account.

The fishing schooner Codhook was ready for a trip to the Grand Bank for
a cargo of the deposits, when the skipper, a faithful, skilful, hardy
old fisherman, as is the case with most of this valuable class of men,
was taken sick, and compelled reluctantly to relinquish the voyage. It
became necessary to find a skipper, and as it was a busy season, it was
not an easy matter to procure the right kind of a man. After a time,
however, it was concluded that nothing better could be done than to
appoint old Jonas Hardhead skipper for this single trip.

Jonas, or "Uncle Jonas," as he was familiarly called, had been to sea
during the greater part of his life, but for the last few years had been
engaged occasionally in the fishing business; and when he could be kept
sober he was a valuable fisherman, for few could endure more hardship,
or haul up