The Lancaster gazette. [volume] (Lancaster, Ohio) 1863-1886, 1868-02-27

at each spring run" although tie
spring is n comparatively shallow
one. At the mouth Of the Stickeen
they are taken weighing from 30
" 80 pounds, and in all tho main
land and the island streams-even
the smaller creeks-tbey arc fodnd
IN quantities whici;, il stated at ibe
East, would Ut once be pronounced
a"fsh story" They form the
staple article Of food with the ma.
tive tribes on this coas,. who are
able to take them with the rndest
contrivanceE. Enter the huts Of
any Indian village. even in Octo.
Der when they are repu.ed scarce.
and you will Gnd tbickly suspend.
ed overhead, long rows Of red sal!
mon in the process Of drying and
smoking. Last week / saw two
natives return with l07 as tho re.
suit of the DAYS work.
..... THE UALIBCT.
The halibnt has a weli.kDown
value on the Pacific coast, and is
regarded as equal, if not superior,
TO those found in tho Atlantic mar
Ket. There is no part Of the world
where they are so abundant as
among the waters surrounding
these Islands They can be caught
at all seasons. From Chatham
Straits, GU miles above here, the
Indians bring them in weighing
$50 pounds. II is amusing " sco
with what dexterlty a Kcloosh will
take one OF these unwieldy fellows
into his scanoe. A laDdsman would
overturn his skiif in attempting to
bag one Of 80 pounds; but | have
seen n native hook ono of three
times that weight, break its neck
as it emerged from the water, and
slide it as readily over the stern Of
his canoe as it it were a common
founder. There can bc no doubt
that at some future time-probably
not many years-tbe catching AMI
curing OF halibut will become II
regular business ia Eastern Alas.
ka.
THE C4NDLE FISH.
/ must OF omi: 10 mention the
existence and pecuiiarIties of an.
other tish-one not mentioned in
the "books which is found in
great numbers in the coast rivers,
from the Mass to the Stickeen. II
is spoken of as the "ooliken" by
the Hudson Bay Company, butt it is
generally known as the small f,h, "
or "candlc fish" among tho coast.
ers. 1t appears generally about
the first week of Nay, and Mr..
Aimsley, the pilot Of the John l.
Stephens, says tina: on somo days
he has known il difficult TO row o
boat across the Mas, river on ac.
count of the dense mass of these
fish in the water. Sometimes an
adverse lido or heavy wind lodges
tons of them upon the shore. The
'Indisns know Of their arrival BY
the flight OF the birds northward
They seldom continue over - days
and during this time tho natives
from Fort Simpson and all the ad.
Ijacent regions hasten 10 "lhe feast
of fa, things" This fish is six to
eight inches long, in form rcsem
bIes the smelt, hasa shining and
almost transparent appearance.
and ofall the finny tribe 1t is the
most fat. Its lat has not the oily,
rancid tatse of other fish, bnt has
the sweet taste of fresh lard. The
Indians store great quantities Of it,
and if well cared for it remains
sweet for months. When they are
dried the Indians often turn them
to a novel and practical account
burn them in place of candles
They give a clear, brilliant light
and are not liable to be blown out
by the wind. Mr., Manson, the
Superintendent at Fort Simpson,
says that the tail should be lighted
instead of the head, and that each
fish will last about fifteen minutes
In dark night the men who took
natives Tor guides used to reckon
a mile of travel for every five fish
burned