The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1869-09-30
THE INLAND AND COAST FISHERIES OF
CALIFORNIA
[ From the San Francisco Times.

1llclc dTc lew, IL any, markets Ill tnc Woflu
that supply larger or more delicious variety
OF fish than that Of San Francisco Our fish
markets are the wonder and delight to all
new comers. who, in hotel or restaurant be
tray their recent arrival by their cagerncss to
try the various piscatory luXnries spread be-
fore them, and which may be said To have
cloyed on the palate of the more accustomed
old residents. The fishing boats, and the pc
culiar class of men who man them, are not
less a subject for study
The fishermen are nearly all Indians, who
learned their art in the sparkling waters of
the Bay of Naples. OF somewhere ON that
classic coast, and the boats, which may be
seen hauled mp along the bulkhead, ar" the
prototypes Of the gay little crafts that skim
the Italian waters. They put boldly out to
sea. and ut all hou,s are seen brrasting the
heavy seas Of the Pacific, and riding the bill
lows Of the open ocean rs fearlessiy As the
stouest ship Ottent1nes these boats stand
off t. the westward until their TINY sails
dwindle to mere specks on the horizon, and
it must be rough weather indeed that pre-
vents the hardy fisherman from following hi,
hazardous calling. One is sometimes re
minded of the scenes i'll Massaniello, rs these
sWarthy, sunburnt men, dressed III their rough
but picturesque costume, stand in group, in
front of the coffee houses along the WharyeS,
or oftener are seen mendm@ their nets or re-
pairing their boats on the convenient space
afforded Dy the newly constructed sea wall.
Fish are brought to this market from the
bav of San Francisco, from the rivers empty
ing into it, from alon. the coast and the bays
and inlets and rivers to the nurthWard, and
in the season IN ample supply of excellent
| cod and other bank fish are taken by the littI
fleet engaged in that industry. A mere emu
meration of the varieties taken ON the coast
and in the inland waters OF California would
surprise those unacquainted with their mum
bcr OF the ocean fish proper. may be men
toned sea bass, u large and rather coarse hsh,
caught between the heads and the FaralloneS,
ut Il great depth they are occasionally caught
inside the bay and have been taken out nj
Saucclito; they swim in small shoals, ana
will average about twenty pounds weight,
though specimens, have been known to Welgh
fifty. Large quantities OF rock fish are taken
at Il short distance from the Heads, and hal
hut are found along the entire coast, from
Oregon to san Diego.
The cod fishing has grown INTO very mn
portmt item, employing large aggregate
capital and a number of vessels. The cod
fishing fleet will soon be augmented by hall
a dozen New England fishing smackS, which
are now on their way around Cape Horn
The Goldfish is smaller than that OF the New
Foundland banks, and is quite equal, If not
superior to his Atlantic kinsman III ftaNor.
Sturgeon, herring, tom cod, black llsh and
mackercl are also brought from seward, to
| say nothing of sharks and other "raNlned
| salt sea monsters which the fishermen Somc-
| times bring as curiositicS.
| The bay Yields 4 rich variety, Including
perch, small founders, sardincs, skate, whit
| mo club, shrimp, etc and the rivers send u~
an untailing supply OF the delicious salmon
| that costly and mestmablc rarity of the AT
Iantic States. but here within the reach "i the
humbcst citizen. The salmon is no rmrurc' $
food in California The inland Watei7 OF the
large rivers abound with them, and the mean
est restaurant has salmon in all styles on IIo
bill OF fare They weigh from twelve to forty
pounds, and are pronounced bN G"ullhahua
the most delicious fish that sWms. In addi-
ton to The supply Of oysters brought from
Oregon, ShoalWater Bay and the beds planted
| in various parts of san Francisco Bay, may
| be mentioned the enterprise OF bringing these
| t:lvorite hiNalNes from the coast ol MeNlr".
| Enough of these have not yet been rrtclNrd
| here to iamiliariIr our citizen, with them,
| hut the company which ha, been incorporated
here to import Them hy every steamer arrN-
| inc from Mexico, expect soon to be able To-
| fully supply the demand
complete without lht Worshiplul trout, with
which numerous streams within a daN y tray
el of san Francisco abound Ihe disciples
cf IZaac Walton, by wears OF A,-illuous hunt
ing among the hills of the Bay counties, have
| ..spotted' these sylvan retreats amt every
sportsman has his tay"rite haunt III the rural
district from which, in the proper season, -
land the struggling prize on the green sWard.
The shad is unknown on the facllr r"1' i.
The Chinese fishermen drive a lucrative trade
among their own countrymcn III the sale "l
the small fry caught in the bay, which they
usually dry after thei peculiar fashion, and
esteem Il great luxury.
The greater part OF the fish now ~"ld In "Iii
markets have been 'liscoNrreF' since the ad-
vent of the Americans, within the last twenty
yrars-the old Caliionians having lived along
from one generation to another, i'll hls~~tul IL
norance OF the wealth of their river and bay s..
,.DnIpEp Dum." The New Yorl, sun,
under this head, tells 4 thrilling tory, To
show that the age of heroic deeds is mol past
the hero in this ease being Il poor employ
ec Of a railroad company, and Nithin al,'W
Imllcs of New York We quote
Albert q. Drecker is the bridge tender II
the Passlic river drawhridge, on the NcWarE
and New York Railroad. On FRIDAY after
noon, Just previous to the time for apasocn-
ger train to reach the bridge, the draw WA
open Mr. Drccker knew that the train Wa
coming He began to turn the bridge, So a.
to close the draw before its arrival.
AT this moment he saw his little son, VIII"
was only ten years old, and who was not far
from HIM fall from the bridge into the river
below The agonized father looked down
the track He saw the train coming swiftly
toward the bridge, and knew that to do his
utmost there was barely time to close the
draw In the water below him his boy Wa
struggling for life. A leap into the stream at
this moment, and he could save his child. Bat
the train came laundering down,and he knew
that if he left his post for even single instant
Il hundred lives might be sacrificed lIr
stayed. Slowly the bridge was swung int"
position, and the train passed safely over
and none of the passengers knew what their
safety had cost the poor workman, VIII"
sprang into the river only to take thence the
lfcless body ofhis little boy
Is there any story of heroism to surpaSs
thiso Think, if you can, of the terrible alter
natives of duty which We're presented t" this
man There was no time todeliheratr. lll~
son was dying. He couIdeasily rescue HIM 10y
le,ping into the river beneath. But that leap