1873
Anstruther. Exciting Scene – Another of the stranger crews who are present resorting to the East of Fife for the sake of the herring fishery made a hairbreadth escape at Anstruther harbour a little after the midnight of Sabbath last. The boat was the “New Pink” of Stonehaven, Skipper Andrew Christie, which had been overtaken by the storm the beginning of the previous week while on the voyage to Anstruther, and was driven for shelter into Arbroath, where she lay till Sabbath afternoon, when the crew again hoisted sail for the Firth. They steered safely past the Carr, but by some curious mistake they made straight for Anstruther harbour, though at dead low water; in consequence of which the boat struck hard in the stone-strewn fairway, about hundred yards from the pier-heads. It was pitch dark, with the rain falling as if in bucketfuls at the time, and the wind was also rising ; and as the boat lay tossing and beating in the heavy swell, the poor strangers – more especially they saw no signs of life on the shore – began, in their despair, to fasten bladders about them, hoping that, as lifebuoys, they might be the means of bringing them to the shore as they expected the boat to go to pieces with every heave of the sea – the scene being rendered the more distressing by a young woman being on board, who gave way to the agitation so natural in the circumstances, and cried piteously. Happily at this dreadful juncture the cries of distress were heard by one of the sons of our valued harbour pilot, Mr Wm. Parker, who, after arousing his father, who has also charge of the lifeboat, ran with all speed to Cellardyke, where the first alarm, and with characteristic spirit and humanity, men, women, and children rushed to Anstruther shore, from which, regardless of wind and rain and the raging surf, first a skiff, then long yawl, and lastly, in order to provide against all emergencies, the lifeboat was dragged through the mud to the brink of the tide and launched for the help the strangers, who by these energetic means were safely landed with their nets and stores. The boat was so chafed and broken in the bottom that she filled as the tide rose, but being thus lightened she was eventually towed to the beach, though she will require an extensive repair before she can again proceed to sea. The conduct of the Cellardyke fishermen on the occasion is beyond all praise, and with less energy, skill, and resolution than was displayed on their part, the boat and gear, if not the lives of those on board, must have been lost.
Indignation Meeting of Fishermen. – Ever since the curious old steamboat, the ” Stirling Castle,” began to ply on the Leith passage in the mid-summer of 1842, there have been collisions now and then with the deep sea going boats of Cellardyke, which about the same time began to seek the more sheltered harbour of Anstruther in preference to their own storm beaten “Skimfie.” The boats, as “the weaker vessels”, have, of course, been the sufferers ; and hence out of a hundred mishaps, for which those in charge of the steamer have always found a ready excuse, while, on the other hand, they were denounced by the fishermen as ” tyrannical and reckless,” there has grown a strong feeling in fishing circles very much akin to looking upon the steamer as “a common enemy” of their class. This state of matters has been repeatedly the subject of discussion at the Harbour Board; but an incident occurred the other day in the harbour which has roused the fishermen to take decided and pointed action amongst themselves. It is said that the boat of Skipper John Pratt was run into by the steamer, when the parties in charge of the vessel are accused of adding insult to injury; but suffice it the meantime to say that the affair led to an indignation meeting being convened in the Town Hall Monday night, when the crowded attendance was in itself an evidence of the intense feeling existing on the subject. On the motion of Skipper George Smith, Skipper Charles Carstairs was called to the chair, and having with his usual good sense and moderation explained the object of the meeting, Skipper Win. Moncrieff (Doig) and Councillor James Smith spoke at some length on the grievance to the boats, for which they appeared most to blame the practice swinging the vessel under steam to her berth. At this stage of the proceedings Skipper Alex. Watson threw a paper towards the chair, which on being opened was found to be a petition to the Harbour Board praying that a seafaring man might be appointed to the office of harbour master. The petition had only one signature, that Skipper Thomas Birrell, who next rose, and in the course of a characteristic statement, gave the history of the petition, which, he said, had originated with himself at a meeting of the coxwains of the lifeboat last spring when the unsatisfactory state of the harbour had been under consideration, but that, after having the document prepared for signature other boat skippers, he had heard no more of it until its unexpected appearance the present meeting. Skipper George Moncrieff also addressed the meeting in a temperate and appropriate manner, and Skipper Wm. Watson, when, after a strong but harmonious interchange of opinion it was resolve appoint deputation to confer with the Harbour Board upon the better regulation of the harbour the monthly meeting on Monday, when after the usual vote of thanks to the Chairman, the meeting quietly dispersed.
1874
lt is computed that upwards of two hundred lines, or aggregate stretch of about 115,000 yards of fishing tackle, were lost among the fifty-seven deep sea going Cellardyke boats during the stormy trip in the beginning of the week. The lost gear would measure about seventy miles in length, if we include the “cuds,” as the cordage is called which connects the line with the floats, and the “dumb string,” which so far serve to moor the gear to the stones which anchor it the bottom of the sea. The value of this vast stretch of material may be estimated at nearly three hundred pounds. It furnishes, however, a gratifying illustration of the thrift and provident habits of the Cellardyke community that notwithstanding so great a sacrifice of gear the fishing, far as outfit was concerned, would not have suffered the interruption of a single day.
A Curious Receipt for Street Loiterers
There is nothing so characteristic of a sea faring town as the groups at some accustomed look-out or corner. Other people, in like circumstances, might be gaunting over some real or fancied political grievance: the hardy mariner has always a ready and interesting subject at hand, whether he discusses the fickle tide, or the no less fickle weather; indeed, only by comparing notes, by giving their experience and observation, that the fishermen can possibly prosecute their calling with any prospects of security or success. The old cobbler who lived eighty years ago fully understood the urgency 0f the case when he indited the well-known doggrel saying about the leading topics of fisher talk, these according to him –
Anchors and tows,
Blethers and bows,
And wha’s boat sails fastest.
Interesting it is, indeed, to hear those brave mar speaking together the thousand and one perils of the sea, and there is also this much in favour fisher groups compared with the idle gathering tradesmen, that no passer-by is ever molested or disturbed. The authorities of Cellardyke, have of late shown disposition to suppress this time honoured practice, and with this view, as some say, or to prevent the pranks thoughtless according to others. Provost Martin employed a tradesman the other day to insert small spikes along the ridge of the low wall in front of the Tollbooth. In this way the wall bristled like the back of an irritated hedgehog, but before public indignation had time to shape, far less to explode, the magistrate ordered the same busy hand that fortified the parapet, beat down the spikes in a way to harm nobody. Indeed, the only effect was to furnish the urchins with a supply of lead, they were not slow of picking out from the stones So far the matter has thus ended, but we have induced to give the real facts in order to contradict the various exaggerated rumours which are afloat concerning it. In order, however, to check the frolics of the juvenile population, the wall is being raised a sufficient height to interrupt their amusements.