tales-of-Fogo-Island
tales-of-Fogo-Island tales-of-Fogo-Island
Tragedy at the IceThe seal hunt is a part of Newfoundland and Labrador culture. For localpeople, the hunt is a source of extra income and delicious meat. However,sealing or 'swiling' can be very dangerous work. In the days before largesealing vessels and accurate weather forecasting, many trips to the ice endedin tragedy.On April 7, 1917, a number of men from Joe Batt's Arm, Barr'd Islands andTilting went to the ice in search of seals. The wind was blowing in a northeasterlydirection and the pack ice was close to the land. Three brothers;Joseph, Stephen, and Walter Jacobs, and their friend, Francis Pomeroy wereon the ice that day. These men were from the south side of Joe Batt's Arm.Two other men from the north side of the harbour, Hubert Freake and WilliamFreake also took to the ice.After being on the ice for some time, thick fog rolled in, making it difficult forthe sealers to find their way. The wind also changed direction and blew the iceaway from the shore. The men were trapped on the ice pans. The poorweather and ice conditions continued for more than a week, making itimpossible to attempt a rescue. As time passed, the men's families knew therewas little hope of finding their loved ones alive.In June, a man from the Twillingate area picked up a 'sealing gaff' nearMoreton's Harbour. The gaff belonged to Joseph Jacobs. A message wasscratched into the wood. It read, "April 11, lying down to die." The person whofound the gaff gave it to another man who sent it to Thomas and Mary Jacobs,the parents of the Jacobs brothers. For twenty years, the gaff was kept at theirhome. Today, the gaff may be seen at the Fishermen's Lodge in Joe Batt'sArm.Mr. Paddy Higgins RemembersAye, I was out on the ice that day. Twas the seventh day of April 1917.It was six or seven o'clock in the morning when all hands took to the ice. I andFrank Adams, Billy Cobbs and Will Adams went out to the lighthouse. SkipperNath Brett was the lighthouse keeper. He and old Peter Penton was lookingout fer their crowd. Will Adams had a crippled foot, so he stayed at thelighthouse for a while with them. Another feller, John Adams did not go out
with us early in the morning. He had two cows in over the hills and he had togo drive them out.When I got out on the ice, I used to go right to me knees in snow. I was goingalong when I found two young hood pelts. Perhaps they was left there the daybefore by fellas from Tilting. Anyway, the rope was gone out of 'em so I took'em and hauled 'em along with me. Just after that, Will Adams come down onthe ballicarter and we hauled along together to good ice where we wouldexpect to see a swile.Now, I had a lunch bag and a compass with me. I always took that sposin' Iwas only going in the woods with me two dogs. Now then, twas no time whenJohn Adams started singing out to us. He said "Come on! The fog is comingup and the wind is checking off southern. It's up now about east, or eastsou'east."We could tell that the ice was cuttin' from Brooks' Point to Fogo Tickles, withabout a mile and a half of small, slob ice along the shore. Soon after, we metup with Tim Donahue and Ed Coffin. They had one seal. I never had eitherone. Frank Adams had one. Then we seen Billy Cobbs haulin' out above andhe had two, a young harp and a young hood.When we made it to Drover's Rock, we could see how the ice was running.The sea was heavin' in on the Bill of Round Head, but the fog was comingfast. We set a course for Round Head. By that time, there was seven of us onone big pan. We would tie a hand line around a feller and he would run andmake the big jump. If he was quick, he wouldn't go in the water. I only filledone of me boots when I jumped. We had a job to get ashore, but we finallymade it in big Greeps Cove. That's where we landed. When John Adams gotup over the ballicarter, he heard a feller singing out. He knowed the voice, heknowed it was Pomeroy singing out. We only just made it, because the icewas pinned to the shore.Later, Steve Freake came looking for two or three fellers to go out in punt withhim to look for the Jacobs brothers. I and two other fellers went with him. Sowe headed out in the boat. We poked out through until we come to a bigisland of ice. The fog was really thick. I could tell that the ice was running upand that we were in its wake. We poked on another bit and the fog lightened.We heard the lost men sing out and I could see them just like me four fingersin front of me, just like that. I could see the light between them. They washeaded down fer the sound of the guns on Brooks' point and Greep's CoveHead. They thought they could get ashore by walking down that way. By the
- Page 16 and 17: The Disappearance of Bill HurleyOn
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- Page 20 and 21: Stories of World War TwoMr. Gregory
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- Page 30 and 31: Schooner LifeBefore roads connected
- Page 32 and 33: days. Coming back was the same way.
- Page 34 and 35: the name of Saunders up in Herring
- Page 36 and 37: The McKenna family business has sto
- Page 38 and 39: southern end of Change Islands. Dur
- Page 40 and 41: The Newfoundland PonyWhen people ta
- Page 42 and 43: "Prince" poses for a photo while ta
- Page 44 and 45: The original St. Patrick's Church,
- Page 46 and 47: group would go over the hills behin
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- Page 54 and 55: Yaffling and piling dry cod.Lifting
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- Page 60 and 61: ShipwrecksWhen a schooner or other
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- Page 68 and 69: time they made it, they found nothi
- Page 70 and 71: Jumping Ship on Fogo IslandOn Octob
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- Page 74 and 75: The Lumber WoodsMany local men fish
- Page 76 and 77: They would be hungry after a long,
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- Page 82 and 83: They did not have one thing dry to
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- Page 92 and 93: Strange EventsThe Ghost ShipA young
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- Page 96 and 97: BoatsBefore the days of long liners
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- Page 108 and 109: Anglican Church Indian Islands, 196
- Page 110 and 111: The Beheading of Michael TurpinDuri
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- Page 114 and 115: The Good SheppardsOn the morning of
with us early in the morning. He had two cows in over the hills and he had togo drive them out.When I got out on the ice, I used to go right to me knees in snow. I was goingalong when I found two young hood pelts. Perhaps they was left there the daybefore by fellas from Tilting. Anyway, the rope was gone out <strong>of</strong> 'em so I took'em and hauled 'em along with me. Just after that, Will Adams come down onthe ballicarter and we hauled along together to good ice where we wouldexpect to see a swile.Now, I had a lunch bag and a compass with me. I always took that sposin' Iwas only going in the woods with me two dogs. Now then, twas no time whenJohn Adams started singing out to us. He said "Come on! The fog is comingup and the wind is checking <strong>of</strong>f southern. It's up now about east, or eastsou'east."We could tell that the ice was cuttin' from Brooks' Point to <strong>Fogo</strong> Tickles, withabout a mile and a half <strong>of</strong> small, slob ice along the shore. Soon after, we metup with Tim Donahue and Ed C<strong>of</strong>fin. They had one seal. I never had eitherone. Frank Adams had one. Then we seen Billy Cobbs haulin' out above andhe had two, a young harp and a young hood.When we made it to Drover's Rock, we could see how the ice was running.The sea was heavin' in on the Bill <strong>of</strong> Round Head, but the fog was comingfast. We set a course for Round Head. By that time, there was seven <strong>of</strong> us onone big pan. We would tie a hand line around a feller and he would run andmake the big jump. If he was quick, he wouldn't go in the water. I only filledone <strong>of</strong> me boots when I jumped. We had a job to get ashore, but we finallymade it in big Greeps Cove. That's where we landed. When John Adams gotup over the ballicarter, he heard a feller singing out. He knowed the voice, heknowed it was Pomeroy singing out. We only just made it, because the icewas pinned to the shore.Later, Steve Freake came looking for two or three fellers to go out in punt withhim to look for the Jacobs brothers. I and two other fellers went with him. Sowe headed out in the boat. We poked out through until we come to a bigisland <strong>of</strong> ice. The fog was really thick. I could tell that the ice was running upand that we were in its wake. We poked on another bit and the fog lightened.We heard the lost men sing out and I could see them just like me four fingersin front <strong>of</strong> me, just like that. I could see the light between them. They washeaded down fer the sound <strong>of</strong> the guns on Brooks' point and Greep's CoveHead. They thought they could get ashore by walking down that way. By the
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