THE FISHERMAN'S BOY. (From Hogg's Weekly Instructor.)

New Zealander, Volume 5, Issue 395, 26 January 1850, Page 3

THE FISHERMAN'S BOY. (From Hoggs Weekly Instructor.)

t Oii the south bank of the river Esk, at its confluence with the German Ocean, and immediately opposite to the p : c'uresque and thriviag town of Montross, stands the fishing village of Feiryden. Some seventy yeais ago there dwelt in one of its little huts a young fisherman and his wife, remarkahle alike for their sober and industrious habits and indomitable spirit of perseverance. They begun the world with no capital, and roughed its thorny path with a few friends ; but, as their cares multiplied, new fields were opened up for the employment of their industrial skill, and new sources were successfully cultivated, under circum-. stances of the most remarkable and encouraging kind. In those days, few of the Jiihermen on the east coast of Scotland would venture beyond what was technically called ' the rock fit'— in other words the sea shore— for fishing ; but our hero of the oar, in the pjesent case was ill at ease under tuch limitation. llu had frequently met with a number of Dutch fishermen, who used to take shelter with their ' busses,' or fishing craft in the harbour of Stonehaven, an*l from these he learned that about ten or fiften miles off lay the 'Dutch' as well as the 'Dogger Bank'— a mountain in the deep, stretching from the Orkney Islands to tlm harbour, where tbere was an abundant supply of all kinta of fish, from the liny sprat to the botik'-noaed whale. Animated by a strong desire to explore this mine, and having now «aved a few pounds, the reward of industry ond economy, a half-decked boat was purchased, rigged out after the smack fashion, and fitted with all the appointments of rim deep-sea fishery. In this enterprise he was joined by a few more daring spirits, and taking with him one of his boys, set our. on the evening of a fine summer day to try the adven • tv c. The effort succeeded. Fish of a larger size, of greater variety, and finer quality, were thenceforth landed in Ferryden, and the market returns in money and provisions (fish being then Bold by barter) were of the most profitable character. But he was not satisfied with the results of this experiment. The risks were great, and the returns, though good, not equivalent to the tear and wear of the service. By accident the attention of the; young fisherman was called to the cod and ling fisheries on the banks of Newfoundland, and he felt *a strong desire to draw something from the treasures of that wintry deep. This project necessarily involved considerable additional expense. But 1 where there's a will there's a way,' and so it was in the present case, for in a few months a fine sloop wan got ready, an experienced crew of fishers engaged, and iv less (ban six months from the time the project was formed, the most sanguine cipectutions of its piomoters were realised. By and by our fisherman became a sailor, and the sailor became an ovvn»r, until he both owned and commanded, in the coasting trade, one of the smartest and tidiest little craft that sailed from the port of Montrose. In all the->e adventure* the boy Joseph was engaged. He toiled with his father at the oar of the fishing-boat and the helm of the sailing vessel. He was a willing hoy, and inherited a'l the spirit and perseverance of his parents. But it was not the wish of his parents that Joseph should continue at the sea, and having now removed from Ferryden to Monti osc, he was sent to school to learn ac least the elements of a common educatien. While at school Joseph discovered a remarkable genius for the mathematics, an aptitude for languages, and was always characterissd by an indomitable spirit of perseverance and self-will. Near to the residence of his parents, who lived in a plain bat substantial and comfortably-furnished oldfashioned house in Murray-street, a worthy burgess carried on business under the sign of the ' pesile aud mortar,' to whom Joseph was apprenticed as a druggist, somewhat we understand against his will. While engaged in the faithful discharge of the duties and the drud»eiy of this apprenticeship, he conceived the idea of become ing, some day or other, a great mm ; and then it was thit he gave himself up to study, choosing for his •sanctum' the at ie of his f.ithei's house, and for his motto ' perseverance. ' Early and late he toiled at his books } and, in a few years, was one of the best-in-foraied and most devoted disciples of Esculapiuu of which the north of Scotland could boast, Availing Ivmsclf of fie advantages which the Medical .School of Edinburgh afforded, he spent some lime in that city qualifying for the degree of ' surgeon,' and having at length obtained his diploma, the patronage of a gentleman in the country, of great influence in high quarters, was promised in his behalf. Tim<« pa sed on, and Joseph had to realise the truth that "ho^e deferred maketh the heart sick j" but at last, thiowing himself entirely on his own resources, he puß'ied his way forward and got an appointment., or rnthe.' a footing in the medical staff of the East India Company. When in India, Joseph's talents as u linguist soon attracted observation, and in the course of a fe\v jea^s he f>und the office of 'i iterpretci' f.u moti lucrative, and truch more safe and comfortable, than that of administering medicine or splicing broken bones. From one thins; to another, in his intercom l^ with the merchant-piinct'B of the E-ist, he plodded upwards and onwards, now making a trading visit to Eng'and and anon reluming to Bombay, until ha gained a handsome competency, on which, at the, close of the war, he retired from ihe active commeicc of desultory life. Bat Joseph conlil not live in the quiet seclusion of his family. Ll is temperament would not let him rest, and hiving an earnest desire to benefit society, ho sought a field whei em he could bring his talents ami experience to bear in furtherance of the common good. Sincerely deploring the corruption which he saw prevalent in the admihistialion of public affairs, he seized a favourable opportunity of presenting hiruseil to a Scotch constituency, and was returned us their reprcs n ative in Parliament. For tpenty.nine years has the Fisherman's Boy enjoyed this honorable position, and he now sits in St. Stephen's as he did at first and for many years, the representative of Montrose, his native town. Such ia a brief outline of the rise, pi ogress j ami present position of— Josnrn Hume,