The poem tells the story of four fishermen who set out to sea on a stormy night. They are caught in a fierce gale and their boat is wrecked. The survivors cling to a piece of wreckage, but one by one they succumb to exhaustion and drown. Only one fisherman remains, who eventually dies as well.
By John Greenleaf Whittier · First published 1835 · Genre: Poetry, Nature Writing, Adventure