*Editorial Notes & Bookends of History: Some ‘Truths’ are much harder to accept than others, but nevertheless: It is prudent when considering a study of any particular group (in this case, Portuguese-Americans [aka. PA’s here – ed.], it should be noted HOW they (as a group) were generally perceived, treated and referred to within the receiving culture and country of their ‘future home’, perhaps especially so near the time of their initial immigration? As such, I’m including two published “book end” references or excerpts here, as they pertain to PA’s in the 20-year span between them:
(1.) From famed American author Mark Twain’s (aka. Samuel Clemens) very popular book, ‘THE INNOCENTS ABROAD’ published in 1869, and;
(2.) An article from the Boston Courier newspaper published 20 years later (i.e. nearly a generation – ed.), in 1889.
In 1869 famed American author Mark Twain cruelly included in Chapter 5 these crass descriptions of Azoreans from Faial in his book “The Innocents Abroad”, writing: “These islanders are…,’ ‘…noisy, lying, shoulder-shrugging, gesticulating Portuguese… ‘all ragged and barefoot, uncombed and unclean, and by instinct, education, and profession; beggars…, ‘The people lie, and cheat the stranger, and are desperately ignorant, and have hardly any reverence for their dead. The latter trait shows how little better they are than the donkeys they eat and sleep with.” …and… “The community is eminently Portuguese – that is to say, it is SLOW, POOR, SHIFTLESS, SLEEPY, and LAZY.”
Such pompous drivel apparently passed for “Fun Facts” in 1869 America, and coming from Mr. Clemens’ lofty position, one can only guess from this curious lapse that this son of an attorney and judge somehow forgot that he fortified his own 6th-grade schooling by educating himself in both well-supplied home and public libraries; institutions unavailable to the Azoreans he so harshly judged? Perhaps he felt it was his steadfast bravery (just joking – ed.) during his extensive (i.e. 2 weeks! – ed.) Confederate “military service” (?!) before he deserted to Nevada that justified his steely (yet cowardly – ed.) discernment? No matter, because my Azorean grandfathers never knew or cared that Mark Twain had defamed their homeland, culture, and countrymen (although I easily imagine the smaller one would have offered ol’ Mark an opportunity to “step outside” to “discuss it”. – ed.). They were neither famous or rich, but at least they were REAL men; with character, honor, and the desire and ability to Keep Their Word.
Finally, another reason I chose these two “bookend” references for this 20-year span, is they are also equidistant to the year 1879, an especially tragic and deadly year for the seamen of Gloucester; where many of the fishermen (and the whalers before – ed.) were sons of Portugal, the Azores, Madeira, and the Cape Verde islands. In 1879 alone, 249 fishermen and 29 vessels were lost during a single, terrible storm off Cape Ann.
And for an even broader perspective, please know that in 1925, when the Gloucester Tercentenary Permanent Memorial Association sponsored the artistic competition to commemorate Gloucester’s 300th anniversary and to permanently memorialize the many, many (nearly 10,000! – ed.) fishermen lost at sea from Gloucester’s historic port, with that city’s famous, “Man at the Wheel” and/or “They That Go Down to the Sea in Ships…” (Psalms 107:23) Statue there. It is not to be missed if you are in the area. It is considered sculptor Leonard Craske’s greatest work, costing $10,000 in 1925 (equivalent to $177,337 today; yet [astonishingly!] that equates to less than $18 per dead seafarer – ed.), and is located bayside on the Stacy Esplanade.
And for an even truer perspective, when there don’t forget to also visit the nearby (west of the Blynman Canal drawbridge) newer “Fishermen’s Wives Memorial”, dedicated in 1996 by the GLOUCESTER FISHERMEN’S WIVES ASSOCIATION “to honor the wives, mothers, daughters, and sisters of fishermen for their diligences and fortitude.”
And finally, given the powerful history of Gloucester’s great seafaring success (and that it was often built on the backs of supremely brave, sacrificing, and hard-working Portuguese immigrants) and it’s famed “They That Go Down to the Sea…” Memorial Monument (and later, Gloucester’s nearby and poignant “Fishermen’s Wives Memorial”), it is little wonder that Provincetown, Massachusetts’ PA native son, CAPT. ANTHONY MASCARENHAS deeply understood the significance of Gloucester’s Memorial, and subsequently the importance of the San Diego’s “Tunaman’s Memorial Monument” that he so diligently promoted and fund-raised for here in San Diego, especially considering that he also lived in Gloucester for a time before coming west.
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“NOT SO BAD AS ALL THAT – It is well known that fishermen after getting a fare at the Georges (Atlantic fishing banks some 150 east of Cape Cod – ed.) make haste to get to Boston, having been fortunate enough to secure an unusually large quantity of fish, crowded on all sail and started for home. A severe storm arose, during which three men were washed overboard and lost. One of these was a native of PORTUGAL. The loss was a severe blow the Captain, who had been congratulating himself upon receiving the commendations of the owners of the vessel for the very large fare he has secured. The news of the loss of the men preceded the vessel’s arrival, and the owners were aware of it and looked down with very grave faces upon the Captain as he sheered alongside of the wharf.
‘We’ve got the biggest fare that’s come to this wharf, you bet!’ said the Captain. ‘What good is that,’ asked one of the owners, ‘when you’ve lost three men?’
‘Who says that?’ asked the Captain. ‘Why, the tugboat brought in the news.’
‘That we lost three men?’ ‘Yes.’ they replied.
Said the Captain, ‘Well it ain’t so bad as all that…, only two men and a Portagee.”
(*Source: Los Angeles Daily Herald newspaper (via Boston Courier) – Sunday, September 1, 1889 – Pg. 9)