"Yes," they said, "you can go in."

I went in and I said, "Mr. Carr, we got a lot to face now for the time of year coming on, fall of the year and that wet fish. Can't we have a little raise in our pay, 'cause we needs more now for to wear in the cold weather than we did all summer, and we needs better boots. It all takes money and we haven't made much the summer."

"I must say, you're right," he said. "Yes, I will give you a raise."

When I went back I was going to clap me hands at them. "Guts enough for nothing," I said. "I went over to Mr. Carr -he's only a man like our own men. You got to have a bit of gum into you to get through this world."

Well, I thought 'twas right when I made the move. We got the raise 'cause we did deserve it. I don't think I done wrong there.

When you got off the beach, you didn't know the first thing to do - housecleaning and doing things for Christmas, and then doing work all through the winter until the time you went on the beach again in March.

You were steady going. Sometimes the boss woman would come down to the house. She used to say, "What's news Louie?"

I'd say, "I been nowhere since I come off the beach, only at me work."

You never had time. Your time was occupied by your family and your home.

Louise and Violet

The first thing, the fish was brought out from the schooners and washed clean. Now that was what we called "water our fish." Men and boys used to wash the fish. That was what they called the green fish, 'cause 'twas wet. Then all the women would work at putting it on the beach to dry. It was a long time drying a load of fish in them days 'cause people had a lot of fish.

You had so many women working at dry fish in piles and so many working at the green fish. There was eight and nine and sometimes ten women - that was the crowd for the beach. One of them was a boss. She would tell you what to spread and how much.