tales-of-Fogo-Island
tales-of-Fogo-Island
tales-of-Fogo-Island
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The Sea Gives Up Its DeadSometimes, <strong>tales</strong> from the past are almost forgotten when they suddenlyreappear. The following story originally appeared in the Lewisporte Pilot(1965).On September 27, 1887, Jacob Ford and John Fooks from <strong>Island</strong> Harbourwere out gunning near the western end <strong>of</strong> Indian <strong>Island</strong>s. They shot a birdnear Gun Rock and rowed to pick it up. Ford leaned over the boat to seize thebird and noticed a patch <strong>of</strong> oil on the water. Looking closer, he was shockedto see the body <strong>of</strong> a man among a pile <strong>of</strong> codfish on the bottom. The menrushed back to <strong>Island</strong> Harbour and sent word <strong>of</strong> their discovery to themagistrate.The next day, a search party set out in a trap skiff. The group included JacobFord, John Fooks, William Foley, James Brown, Martin Foley and SamuelFord. After a search <strong>of</strong> the area around Gun Rock, they discovered not one,but three bodies. The bodies were pulled from the water and taken to <strong>Fogo</strong>where an inquiry was held.One body was medium-sized. He was a man <strong>of</strong> about 30 or 40 years <strong>of</strong> agewith patches <strong>of</strong> black beard on his chin. The letters 'C.S' were tattooed on hisright wrist, with the letter 'C' written above the wrist joint. The name 'GEORGEA. CHAULK' was tattooed on his left arm.The second body seemed to be between 22 and 25 years <strong>of</strong> age. He was aman <strong>of</strong> medium height and did not have a beard. The letters 'T.M' weretattooed on his left arm, next to a drawing <strong>of</strong> an anchor.The third body was medium-sized. This man had a round face, red whiskerand appeared to be about 30 years <strong>of</strong> age. He did not have any tattoos.A Roman Catholic priest and a minister <strong>of</strong> the Church <strong>of</strong> England helped themagistrate with the investigation. The men also agreed that the bodies shouldbe buried in the Methodist Cemetery at <strong>Fogo</strong>. A funeral service was held forthe men and many people attended the burial. Perhaps they felt that evenstrangers should be laid to rest in the company <strong>of</strong> 'mourners'. Investigatorswould later discover that the men were drowned in a fierce gale on Sunday,September 18, 1887. They were crew members <strong>of</strong> a vessel anchored at the
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