LITERATURE.

Globe, Volume XXI, Issue 1667, 24 June 1879, Page 3

LITERATURE.

A NIGHT WITH THE SARDINES.

‘Sardiua, sardina—Sardin-i i-na fres cua-a-a-al’ ‘ Sardines, sardines—fresh sardines !’ Such was the shill cry that roused me at dawn on the first mor .ing of my presence in Lequeitio. Lequeitio is an ancient and not much frequented seaport on the coast of Vizcaya, almost impracticable to the stranger cven_ in lino weather, owing to its numerous outlying rocks, jush awash, and utterly unapproachable in half a gale It is charmingly situated on the inner bend of a small gulf, and is protected from the full force of the Biscayan waves by an island which stands in the centre of the curve, forming the miniature bay of golden sand. The Basque seamen retain their reputation as being the best in Spain, and I can vouch that the fishermen of Lequeitio are as fine and handy a set of fellows as a skipper need choose from. In their long, undecked, light built galleys, manned by a patron and fourteen oarsmen, rowing double-banked, when not under sail, they put to sea sometimea never to return. I must tell you that I am now writing of May, 1875, a period when the Cwlist war was desolating the north, of Spain. I had been following, as correspondent, the move* m-nts of the Legitimist forces, and being weary and worn, had made for Lequeito in search of renovating sea breezes and a few days of peace and quiet.

A luck would have it, when I was wondering how I could make a trip in one of the galleys, the commandante de armas, or town major, to whom I had delivered a strong letter of introduction on the previous evening, sauntered down the mole, followad by his orderly carrying a basket. The old gentleman was evidently intent on levying a contribution in kind, and when the patron of a galley caught sight of him ho stepped ashore, shook hands with the veteran of previous Carlist struggles, and himself chose at least a couple of hundred of the choicest fish. The commandante then passsd the c mpliments of the day with me, accepted a cigarette, and suggested that I should buy a dozen or two of sardines, and have them cooked for breakfast at the seamen s tavern close by. To this I assented, but on condition that something beyond sardines should form the f ire, and that he and the patron of the galley should be my guests. * Hola, dementi Grue I’ shouted the com mandaute; ‘ here is a friend of mine, a renor Jnglese, who asks us to breakfast with him. What eay you ? lam willing, and I should think that an appetite is not what you’ll bo wanting.’ ‘ Where, and at what hour ?’ ‘At the tavern of the widow Martuez, at B.’ * I accept, and will send the lull.’

I looked upon the advent of the commandante, just at the moment, as very fortunate. I was very desirous of making a night trip in one of the galleys, but hardly seeing how to work the project. Now matters appeared more promising, and I felt pretty certain to pull through before dementi Orue and I parted. We found Clementi Orue awaiting us at the tavern, and if savory odour meant anything, but little appetite would be needed to relish the meal. It is true, there was but one common, bare-walled, smoke incrusted, raftered room, with seamen eating drinking. and smoking—a hearty, frank set of fellows, who held their glastea toward us as we entered. A side table had been prepared for our party, and certainly, not even in the best of fondas, would be found a whiter cloth or napkins, brighter knives, forks, and spoons, or cleaner plates. 1 Take you on a trip—well, I don t know what to say. There is no room in a galley for idlers, and if it came on a breeze of wind, or the net got fouled, or a dezsn other thing*, you would be in everybody’s way. Besides, the men might not Lite it, and you might get sick; and, after all, there un’t much to see; and I know that, so far as I am concerned, if 1 was not forced to it, I would sooner be tucked np comfortably in bed than getting wet.’ ‘ Well, but look here, senor patron, this kind of thing is not altogether new to me, though I have never been after the sardine. The fact is, I was brought np in a fishing village, and could steer and row when only eight years old In addition, I have knocked about at sea considerably, have crossed the Atlantic four times, have run through blockades on the American coast, and might, perhaps, be able to bear a band if you were pushed.' ‘Hola, caballero,” exclaimed the patvn, with beaming face ; ‘hola, so yon are a bit of a salt yourself; touch there,” holding out his hand “ You shall make a trip, never fear, and it just happens that I am one short of my complement. Having noticed half a dozen of the crew at the centre table, I suggested to Clementi Orne that he shouid call them over to drink the health of the new hand. This was done, and I saw the arrangement met with their entire approval, more especially that part in which was mentioned a keg of aguardiente and two or three bundles of cigars. Then it was agreed that the patron should take his evening meal with me in the same place and that, wind and weather permitting, the galley would cast off at nightfall. Well, at the appointed time, I found Clementi Orue awaiting me, and on a chair by his side rested a formidable looking bundle.

1 Hero I am, senor, and here’s your kit. There’s jest a steady cap-full from the northwest, which will be dead against us working out, but fair for running in. As it is more than probable we shall get a wetting, I have brought y u a stout flannel guernsey and a pair of oilskin overalls, so leave your coat with the Widow Martinez. I see you wear the boina, like the rest of us, and alpargatua (canvas shoes with hemp soles), but slip off the socks—that’s so—now then for the guernsey and overalls—bravo, and I’d like to see the fellow to you.’

Onr supper was soon disposed of, and the patron slinging the keg of aguardiente over his shoulder, and tucking the cigars under his arm, we made down the mole for the galley. All hands were in readiness to start, and amidst hearty wishes of good luck from a cluster of women and girls, we cast loose and paddled towards the mouth of the bay; it appeared that two other galleys were to put to sea that night, and had already worked out. As we reached the opening between island and mainland, the mists had been stepped, and at the word “Hoist" from the patron, the two leg-of-mnttou sails wont up. There was a list to port, followed by a soughing, rushing sound, three or four smacks against the bows, a succsssion of clouds of spray which soaked everything and everybody fore and aft, and then the men settling into their places to starboard, and a taughtening pull being got at the sheets, a vay we went on a westerly course, running diagonally outward from the coast, dementi Orue had suggested the coiled net on the stern-board as a good seat for me, and agai- st this he leaned and worked the steering-oar. The night was rather dark, the sky being patched with clouds, and there would be no moon for an hour or more; still, as the patron said, if there is fish, he’d manage to catch them without candles. « By the way, it never occurred to me to ask the name of your boat - what is it ?’ « La Santisima Trinidad. She’s a good, stiff boat, and will carry on, going free or close hauled, with any other.’ She certainly was moving along, though heading considerably to windward, and on the course we were going made capital weather and was remarkably steady. The steering oar was confided to me, and then after about an hour and an half of the same course, to just abreast the Machichaco light, we went about, and made due north for an offing. Our spesd was nearly doubled, and as the moon had risen, and now and again broke through the clouds, we caught an occasional glimpse of the two other boats, about a milo to the windward. Suddenly Joaquin, one of the men who was standing on a thwart and leaning against the foremast, sang out: ‘ Bardina sardina, sardina —yonder away, dead in the wind.’ Yes; there was the shoal, a luminous, phosphorescent streak, some hundreds of yards in length. In an instant the galley’s head was brought round, the canvas shook and flapped, and in another moment down went the sails. Then the oars were got out, and away we went, thudding through the seas which came stem on. Joaquin, in the bows, had a boom with block at end ready, and a coiled line, made fast to the outgoing extremity of the net, was passed forward, and this he rove through the block, and then rigged the boom firmly, so as to project from six to eight feet. All this had been done in tho twinkling of an eyo, the men the while bending to their oars with a will. * Stand clear of the net, tenor, and lend me a hand when the moment comes to pay out. Oive way, my lads, give way, or wc shall have Pedro Artegui and Jose Echevarria down on the shoal before wc get a cast ; tho wind will blow them clean on to it. Poll, chicoi, pull, for sardines at twenty reals tho thousand. They’ll be well worth every farthing of it to-morrow, and only three boats out. Pull, boys, pull; Pedro and Jore have got a sight and are bound for the fish under full canvas. Give way—will you let a hundred reals each slip through your fingers ? Pul), by all the saints in Heaven, pull. Give way, chlcos, give way, the sea’s alive with them, and one cast will be a fortune for a 1 of us—’ . . _ ‘Payout, payout! shouted Joaquin, as tho galley seemed to chave into a liquid phosphosescent fire, flakes of which, in the shape of sardines, flew sparkling from the oar blades. Whilst I rapidly cleared coil after coil of the net, the patron cast it adrift. Joaquin, meanwhile, Blacking out tho messenger line through the block at the end of tho boom. As the last coil went over, the line with it was only allowed to run a dozen yards or so, and then made fast.. Tho oars were now tossed inboard, and the men commenced lifting the false flooring, which fitted to about two feet above the keel, and wooden scoops were placed handy. ‘ Haul in fore and aft/ cried the patron, and half-a-dozen men clapped on to each

line, bringing the net inwards, to bow and stern, in a semicircle, the form of which could be traced by the myriads of glistening fish that sought to escape over the floating corks.

But it seemed, despite these signs, that we had been too hasty, and had made a false cast, for it soon became apparent we were only on the edge of the shoal, which was making away to windward, and right on to the galleys of Pedro Arteguo and Jose Echevarria,

‘ Now, may the saints have you in their holy keeping, Senor Joaquin, for the good yon have done us. Seo, there go the tish, my lads, but haul in smartly, or the few we have will manage to get away. What say, you, chicos, shall we make a present of this take to buy spectacles for Joaquin?’ Joaquin muttered something to the effect that he was not the only one in the boat wanting eyes, and that lie had given the word at the right time ; that the galley’s head was allowed to pay off, and what further observations he made were lost in a grumble. When the whole of the nst had been gathered in, the scoops barely succeeded in getting a couple of bushels. In anything but a good humor, the patron gave the word to hoist sails, and as we turned again seawards the moon ro=e from a bank of clouds, and iu its light we could seo the palleyg of Pedro Artegui and Jose Echevarria laying over to the weight of fish they were taking. One thing was positive, that wo had left them behind, and that whatever we foil in with now we should have to ourselves. Well, for hours we tacked and re-tacked, making for wherever there appeared indications, and at dawn, great discouraged, Clementi Orue suggested putting about and steering homewards. At this moment Joaquin, who hid been perched moodily in his usual place, turned to the patron, and asked him to look in the direction to which he pointed—the north-east. There was a line of light in the water, and a broadening streak of mcrning in the sky. Scores of seagulls were eddying in circles, now poising for an instant, and then swooping down to the surface. ‘lf that doesn’t mean fish,’ said Joaquin, in rather a sulky manner, ‘ may I never catch another sardine as long as I live ' ‘ Right, my lad,’ rep’ied the patron chrerity ; ‘ there are sardines there by millions, and as they are to leeward we can strike them where we choose. Now then, my lads, have everything in readiness, and stand by to down sail when I give the word.’

(lo be continued.)