Pigs, and the Supernatural

Pigs have always figured bigtime in fore runners and such manifestations, such as demonic possession etc., Take for example The Amityville Horror. The author used a pig in that story plot. 

Nova Scotia fishermen, from the south shore in particular, among many other superstitions, abhor the use of the word pig, spoken on board their boats.It was the worst word in the English language. I' ll tell you a true story that happened in 1948. 
We had a hurricane in July tha year. I' m sure that Everett would remember it well. The " On Time III " was, I believe, in Main-a-Dieu, Brent Bingly and I were in Louisbourg tied up at Cadegan's wharf, third in a raft of seven boats in the outside string. Many boats were driven ashore, but all the boats at Cadegan's came through unscathed. 
It rained heavily all night, better than four inches fell. By the next afternoon it was fine enough to go to sea, so all the boats left Louisbourg and after they passed the light, fanned out somewhat to give some space or elbow room between them. 
When Brent and I got down off Big Lorraine Head, we saw a flock of gulls clustered around something in the water, just to the right of our course, so in curiosity I altered course to investigate, and when we arrived at the gull's point of interest, here was a little piglet floating, quite oblivious to the gulls or us, because he was " Un cerdo muerto. " as they say in Matanzas. 

Simon Garrison, a noted swordfish killer from Sambro was following pretty well in our wake about a quarter mile back, in the beautiful yacht-like " Miss Sambro III " Simon had three men aloft, while he himself was standing on the wheel house roof, ready to run for the pulpit, stood a fish be sighted. They also did an investigation, and when Simon saw the drifting porker, he gave an order. " Take her home !! "

Some of the fleet watched Simon's boat grow dim on the horizon heading for Guyon Island, all hands below, at maximum knots, which he kept her at, til they reached his wharf in Sambro, where they unrigged the boat, stowed the gear away and when they finished went home and had a sleep and come down the next day, got the swordfish stand, spar, harpoons and all the other gear, put it back on her and headed back for Cape Breton where they finished a profitable season in September. A fresh start, Simon said, was the only way to break the bad luck of seeing the sea going pig. 

Seanachie