, 1877-10-05
a DESCRIPTION oF Tsl "tvlitFos
-er,ss, F,aA o. -elass F.a rt h--f
on FAv.

- tlF Ars-r'
ThsA.aah,s .si Ar.-r ....--s
a. the "Ihl.s.ctttys isr.t.ss rr
ssmblss common Gus.t .r -.~ ari
ssueral appearance, but differs from
Il ia a. important plr'lrn.ir, i.7.
while the .mslt Is dry mcat-i hsh,
almost entirely devoid of fAi, the
eulachon through It's entire body
from head to tai is permea'cd hy a
fatty substance which Nbeu extract.
ed. cools st high temperature and
resembles lard. This 10 largely CON
sumed by the northern tribes who
use it, as the whites use butter or
lard for domestic purposes.
To Sir John Richardson's account
of Eulschou, but little can be added.
They formerly entered the Colum.
bia river in great numbers, and were
equally abundant in Puget Sound.
AT present, although sparingly found
in the waters named, they cannot be
considered as occurring in large num-
bers south or east Of the southern
end of Vancouver Island; Fraser's
river being the most southerly point
where they are taken. In that To-
city they are very abundant at GER.
tain periods, but nearly slways a sea.
son Of abundance is followed by
,lrse or four years Of scacity. Fur
ther northward they are constantly
abundant, but the principal fishing is
at the Mas river which empties into
Portland Inlet near the boundary
line between British Columbia and
Sitka, in lat: 55 north, and distant
from Fort Simpson some 80 or 40 miles
For some unknown reason, the Eula
chon give the Mas river the prefer.
ence over all the other streams, as
their spawning gronnd, and to the
fishing stations at the mouth of Mas
river, not only the Indians of tho
immediate vicinity, but from villa.
ges more than one hunered miles
distant, come in great number, and
remain during the fishing season,
which usually commences in the lat
ter part of March, at which time the
largest and best run is taken, and
again at the end of June, which is
far inferior both in quantity Of fish
and quality OF grease.
The Eulachon only travel up the
Mas river as far as the food tides
reach, which is from Is to 90 miles
from its mouth. For about z miles
from Mas straits, the river is insult
able for fishing operations. From
thence to the Mas villages at the
head of tide water is a succession Of
sand-bars and these form the spawn
ing beds OF the fish. Every available
spot along the banks of the river is
occupied by the Indians during the
fishing season, who erect temporary
wigwams for themselves. AS the
fishing season approaches, the ar
rival of the fish is anxiously watched
by the natives, as it is season of the
year in which they are generally out
OF food. The fish usually swim in
deep water till they reach the mouth
of the river, and, during their passage
up the strait, are followed byinnum.
erable enemies, porpoises, seals,
dog-fsh, ground sharks and halibut,
harass them in the straits, and if they
rise to the surface they are attacked
by clouds of gulls, ducks and other
sea-fowl.
The Bishop of British Columbia,
who visited the Mas river in 1868,
writes concerning the fsheries:
" Such scene of life, man-life, bird
life, fish life, l had never before con.
ceived; over the fish was an immense
cloud of innumerable gulls-so many
and so thick were they, as they
lowered about looking for the FISH,
that the sight resembled heavy fall
of snow. The fish are caught in vast
quantities. ! saw hundreds of tons
collected together, and the nets
hauled in bashcls at time"
When the fish reach the mouth of
Mas river they are caught by the
natives with q pole about Is feet
long, slightly hattened into an oar
shaps At the lower end. Into one
edge of this flattened blade are stuck
n row Of wooden pins or pieces Of
wire sharpsned. This implement is
drawn rapidly through the water, and
the Eulachon are impaled on the
pins in the same manner as the In
dians about Puget Sound take her
rings. The number of Eulachon
caught in this Uay. forms n yood as-