, 1877-10-05

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lots a~r o. fs a. ..s 90" 20.
..sf FL. .'.t ast. .- ~'r. f.a
|I t.s ...Us M f.s
20. A. les
rrfs~ r~r.H. .E .v. -s .. .sr
each f..r. I -. a. f.F. .Er.sr
IUtu bsAg. ur tH- g-H1uI frozen H fa
lU Iays. Rrr.-.rs q. Ila s'si. .l fH~
~cs,trr wt.-i partially ire1mTH -,
them - lhs u.. ,-Tsrtts- wnre read
ilv than whsr tfa ish i, fresh. Altsr
being exposed a lsr iavs, portion
Of the l,h az strung uu s'rIs of
bark, sui hung ou rsrks tn iry.
These dried hsh form chief article
OF diet for these natives, and are
cooked hy simply broiliug. or boil
ing. They are also used as torches.
1t is only necessary 10 set them on
fire and they will continue to burn
until they are consumed.
In extracting the grease, the fish
are put in large wooden boxes and
boiled by means of red hot stones.
As the grease rises to the surface, it
is carefully skinned off and the resi-
due is then pressed to extract any
grease that may be left. A ton OF
fish will yield from "a to 80 gallons
of grease. This forms not only a
staple article Of diet, but brings con-
siderable trade from other tribes Of
Indians who trade with the Mesh
kahs or Mas river Indians. The or.
dinary price is twenty FIVE cents per
gallon, but owing to the short run Of
fish for the past two years, the price
has risen to one dollar gallon. This
grease, or oil, has medicinal proper
ties like cod liver oil, but when first
taken, or as prepared by the natives,
it has very rank flavor. The fish
when fresh are very palatable, and
when fried nicely is delicious. They
are also sated and packed in casks,
and are as rich and fine favored as
mackerel. The salted ones are
freshened by soaking in fresh water,
and then broiled or boiled. They
are also strung on slender sticks
passed through their eyes and
smoked, and when properly pre-
pared are equal to the finest Digby
herrings.
The Hudson's Bay Company, at
their post at Fort Simpson, pack
large quantities of salted Eulachon
in barrels and kits, which are shipped
to Victoria for the London market.
Within a few years, Messrs. Lang,
ley & Co., the eminent chemists of
Victoria, B. c., have succeeded in de-
odorizing the oil and making it per-
fcctly pure, In this state it is in
high repute as remedy for pulmin-
ary complaints, being found fully
equal if not superior to cod liver oil.
But it is singular, although well
authenticated fact, that the coast In
dians who live exclusively on a fish
diet are not so easily affected by cod
liver or Eulachon oil as white people
who reside in the interior, hence,
some persons who have administered
Eulachon oil to coast Indians, have
been surprised at the want of success
aud have hastily condemned it
Is worthless. A diet of new milk for
the coast tribes, would be as medcin |
II as cod liver or Eulachon oil to
white people.
The Eulachon are so excessively |
fat, that ii is difficult to preserve
hem in alcohol. | have, however,
tried a mixture composed of one
third alcohol, one-third glycerine,
md one-third water, and have sent
Eulachon in such mixture to the
Institution, and they
we're received in perfect condition.
Even the color OF the skin and the
of the eyes were retained.
The Eulachon come suddenly and
in countless myriads into Mas river
and after spawning depart as sudden
ly. They evidently pass the remain
der of the year i'll the deep water
south Of the Alentian Islands and
make their appearance almost stimuli
tsneously in Cooks Inlet and Cross
Sound, where they were very abund'
ant this year, and in Mas river.
They then make their appearance in
Fraser's river, 4 few weeks later, but
they are not so fat or as plentiful as
in Mas river, and are at present but
sparingly taken on Puget Sound,
where many persons take them to be
smelts.
The moon of Mars, which has just
:. ovo,