New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1867-12-19

go To 400 feet in depth, swarmlng Wi'h Wal Wal 49,
thOrne calls the sturdy, awkward hsh winch ne "
deludes the anglcr.p Their success mas Ony pscr'
partial for the Russians have never allowed aif H.
eign vessels 10 land and cure hs Oh inc tPs middle
of October Now that the seaarlng men OF 'nls
coast have opened to them the ne9ueu ~
shore for drying and packing ino pmslnCs rIf for
come remuneTatiye and stable. me MAJ NJ NJ, ~
dried fish at the East has always Deeh T Tilf
When developed it cannot be less so on the aSlT'
Compared with mining, IL auOIuS " iai i'oiO W ~
"i tTe waters Astounding with the cod limited
10 tbe region of Ounalaska Seven huneIeu nlligs
further west at AttOO-the most remote Oh our newly
nurchased islands-Capt Kentzel, as We rs al nus
Sian authorities reports the cod as readily caughI as
upon any part OF the coast. me nsine SloGn d 70
trv hos not tho excitement and rapid growth when
Sometimes attends the development or inc mining
wealth Of country yet IL Is Ire t6e Later ar The
wide network Of channels sounds, ana straits when
surround the Sitka, eastern group OF Islands are
singulaTly enough entirely uesuiatc pn Iou, DaG
their absence is fully compensated Tor by the great
abundance of salmon and hallbut, OF which THESE
waters are extremely prolific There are four dls
tInct species of the salmon the most numerous ~
which have the plumpness small head and req Hesh
of the genuine "Kennebec," so much priced Dy the
commands of Boston and New DIRK. AT the Gam Oh
the artificial cepond, at the head OF hedutSky L5hq
1900 barrels can be caught at each Spring run al
though the stream is a comparatively shallow one
At the month OF the Stickeen they are taken Wegh,
ing from so to 80 pounds, and in all the mauritania
they are found in quantities which, II stated az th
East, would at once be pronounced hsh Story.
They form the staple article OF food with the naIVG
tribes on this coast, who able to take them win
the rudest cOntTivances kEnter the nuts OF any In,
dian village even in October when they are Tepuleu
scarce, and yOu will find thiclly suspended over
head long rows of red salmon III the process OF uIy
ing and smoking. Last week saw Two nl'l'es III
turn with 1O7 as the result of the days work. &C
The halibut has well-known value on the iaclnc
coast and is regarded equal, II not superior 10
those found in the Atlantic market IheTe is 10 paIU
of the world where they are so aDuhuanI as aloIs
the waters surrounding these lsiahuS, AhS{ G on on
caught at all seasons. From Chaiham ouaitS, on
miles above here, the Indians bring them In WeignB
$50 pounds. lt is amusing to see WIN WHAT ueHglS
a KOloOsh will take one OF these unWleluy leilgHS
into his canoe. A landsman would OVeTtuIh ms shIl
in attempting to bag one of 30 pounds; but nave
seen native hook one of three times that Welgll
break its neck as 1t emerged rom the Matei' 4nt -
slide il as readily over the stern of his canoe rs II III
were a common founder. There can De no uouDt ln'I
at some future time-prohaby not many yeaIs-1,he
catching and curing OF halDut VIII DecOlno iosihi
business in Eastern AhaSka.
must not omit 10 mention the existence ana pc
culiarites of another Sh-One not mentioned Ill lhe
"books'-which is found IN great plumbers III ti;o
coast rivers from the Mass 10 the Stickeen' III Is
spoken of as the "OOlikOn by the hudson pay N3uh-
papv but is generally known as the small hsh,' or
"candle fish" among the coasters. lt appears an
nually about the first week of May, and Nh AinsIeF
the pilot of the John L. Stephens says hat on some
DAYS he has known it difficult to row BOAT across
the mouth of the Mass River account OF the dense
mass of these fish in the water. Sometimes an adj
verse tide or heavy wind lodges TINS of them upon
the shore The Indians know of their arrival by the
flight of the birds northward. They seldom continue
over Is DAYS and during this time the natives rom
Fort Simpson and all the adjacent regions hasten 10
"the feast of fat things" This fish Is six to eight
inches long in form resembles the smet, has shin
ing and almost transparent appearance anu OF all inc
fnny tribes is the most fat Its fat has not the oLy
rancid taste of other fish, but has the sweet taste OF
fresh lard The Indians store great Quantities OF IT,
and if well cared for il remains sweet f0r months
When they are dried the Indians often turn them
to a novel and practical accOunt-burn them III place
of candles They give clear, brilliant hight, and are
not liable to be blown out by the wind Mr. Manson,
the Superintendent at Fort Simpson; says that the
tail should be ghted instead OF the head ana that
each fish VIII last about 10 minutes. In dark night
the men who took natives for guides used TO reckon
a mile of travel for every five fish burned.
Another hSRs nature of the ALASKA coast IS the
mammoth crab. found in the waters of Cooks Inlet
and Prince Williams Sound. Were 1t not well an-
thenticated one would hardly credit ITS size; II
measures full six feet from tip 10 tip OF its claws.
Capt Lemanshefslly of the Alexandria. caught eight
of them and found that he could put the bodies OF
only three in barrel The legs are about the size of
mans wrist, and are filled with palatable meat,
They are not numerous Having the structure Of the
common crab. their size fits them for deeper and
safe home III the ocean.