Come men, can't any of you sing?

"...I soon got used to this singing, for the sailors never touched a rope without it. Sometimes, when no one happened to strike up, and the pulling, whatever it might be, did not seem to be getting forward very well, the mate would always say, 'Come men, can't any of you sing? Sing now and raise the dead.' And then some one of them would begin, and if every man's arms were as much relieved as mine by the song, and he could pull as much better as I did, with such a cheering accompaniment, I am sure the song was well worth the breath expended on it. It is a great thing in a sailor to know how to sing well, for he gets a great name by it from the officers, and a good deal of popularity among his shipmates. Some sea captains, before shipping a man, always ask him whether he can sing out at a rope." Herman Melville, Redburn

While sea shanties originated on ships of many different countries, they spread throughout the seas. Shanties were used for the hard work aboard ships and sentiments in them were universal. They were not originally in the musical form we find them today, but chanted - with the chanter calling out words and the men calling out the chorus in rhythm to their work.

We had set out in Belfast Harbor, Maine to troll for mackerel. Why focus on mackerel when I don't even like them? Well, mackerel are prized at times for live bait for both stripers and bluefish. We hoped to fish for striper the next morning! Mackerel will chase smaller bait fish such as young pogys or prawn, grass shrimp and pretty much anything that swims and fits in their mouths. Recently the waters have been awash with mackerel, fish from five inches to about a foot long. For surf casters, the first part of the day is often spent catching mackerel for bait. Fresher is better when fishing for stripers.

• Away and to the westward
• Is a place a man should go
• Where the fishing's always easy
• They've got no ice or snow

Islesboro is a town in Waldo County, Maine, United States. The population was 603 at the 2000 census. It is a well-known summer colony accessible by ferry from Lincolnville Beach 3 miles to the west, or by air taxi service. Home to Warren Island State Park, Islesboro includes the villages of Dark Harbor, Pripet and North Islesboro.

Penobscot Indians called it Pitaubegwimenahanuk, meaning "the island that lies between two channels." Situated in upper Penobscot Bay, the narrow, 14 mile island is the marker between East and West Penobscot Bay. It was part of the Waldo Patent. First called Long Island Plantation, it was settled in 1769. It would be incorporated as Islesborough on January 28, 1789, although over time the spelling was contracted to Islesboro.

With many harbors and coves, the island was home to the largest commercial shipping fleet in the bay during the 19th century. Following the Civil War, however, Islesboro developed as a Gilded Age resort community, and many large summer homes were built by the wealthy. Their large yachts cruised and raced throughout the Gulf of Maine. The town remains a well-known summer colony.

We slowed the boat to less than 8 RPM. It was a struggle to keep it heading in any one direction. We fished along the shore of Pitaubegwimenahanuk until the weather turned. We got the boat out of the water as flashes of lightning lit up the sky.

We had a great afternoon. Next time, now that I have some lyrics, we can sing to the fish. We might have more luck.

• Oh, 'twas broadside to broadside a long time we lay,
• Blow high, blow low, and so sailed we;
• Until the Prince of Luther shot the pirate's masts away,
• Cruising down along the coast of the High Barbaree
• Oh, quarter, Oh, quarter," those pirates then did cry, 
• Blow high, blow low, and so sailed we; 
• Coming down along the coast of the High Barbaree.

• King Louis was the king of France afore the rev-o-lu-shi-on,
• But Louis got his head cut off, which spoiled his con-sti-tu-shi-on.
• St. Patrick was a gentleman, he come of dacent people,
• He built a church in Dublin town and on it put a steeple.

• So wake, lady wake, I am waiting for thee,
• Oh, this night or never my bride thou shalt be,
• So wake, lady wake, I am waiting for thee,
• Oh, this night or never my bride thou shalt be,

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Whether they are made of pork, as is most often the case, or of beef, veal, buck, goat, chamois, venison, sheep, wild boar, or horse, cured meats (salumi in Italian) were born of a need to conserve meat for months after the slaughter of the animal. Salting, smoking, and air-drying are the three processes by which fresh meat is transformed into a long-keeping staple.

While all meats are salted, some are smoked, and others are simply air-dried. Italians have been making an amazing array of cured meats for thousands of years using both noble and humble parts of the animals they raise. The ancient Romans prized the spicy pork sausages crafted in the southern region of Basilicata (called Lucania then, and giving rise to sausages named Lucaniche still eaten today). And, fond of intensely tasty foods, they smoked or salted whole pig thighs, yielding savory Prosciutti not unlike those still made in mountain villages across Italy.

Two thousand years later, pork remains Italy's favorite meat for curing. Pigs are especially prevalent in areas where there is a notable cheesemaking tradition: after all, wherever there is cheese, there is excess whey, which, combined with bran and corn, becomes perfect feed for pigs.

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