Seattle daily post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, W.T. [Wash.]) 1881-1888, 1882-12-14
SALMON RUNNING AND CATCHING
EXTRAORDINARY.

The following is from advance sheets
OF the new book, Travels in British
Columbia and Alaska" by Newton e.
Chittenden:
have read, with much allowance, ac-
counts of the muliitudes of salmon
sometimes seen IN tie smaller tribu-
taries of the Umpqua, Columbia and
Fraser Rivers, but, after what II wit
messed today, am prepared TO obelieve
any nah story within the limits Of pos
sibiiities. Arriving at Emory, Eve miles
below Yale, two young men from San
Frarcisco reported immense mum bers
OF salmon at the mouth of Emory
Creek, a small, rapid mountain stream
Going there found il packed SO full in
places that l counted, while standing in
one position upon the railroad bridge,
over four hundred different salmon.
Mentioning the matter to a resident, he
remarked, "Oh, that's nothing. II
yeu want to see salmon 90 to the next
creek beyond" Reaching there, after
a walk of about four miles, and taking
a central position upon the bridge cross
ing it, counted, without moving, over
800 salmon. This stream plunRes down
the mountain side with fall of prob
ably one hundred and fifty feet within
mile and half, being from five to if
teen yards in width. For a distance Of
several rods up from its mouth. the sal
mon were crowding in from the muddy
Fraser, now again rapidly rising, almost
as thick as they could swim, and in
their desperate efforts to ascend the sue
cessive falls above, presented q spectacle
never before witnessed by the oldest
settler. Mr.. John Woodwork, who has
lived here for twenty four years, says he
never heard Of the like. The salmon is
a fish of extraordinary strength and
agility, and are said to jump and swim
up perpendicular falls from ten to
twenty feet in hight. l stood upon the
bank an hour and watched them in
their desperate struggles to make the
ascen. of several of lesser size within
sight. Of hundreds which made the
attempt, only n few, comparatively,
succeeded, but fell back exhausted.
splashing and whirling among the bOul-
ders. Many were covered with great
bruises. some had lost their eyes, a few
lay dead upon the shore, others were
dying, and all seemed nearly worn out.
Stepping close to a pool filed with them.
easily caught two Ill my hands, which
offered but little resistance. Before
leaving, a photographer, Ar. d. Il. Jud-
kins, of New Westminster, arrived and
took two views of the remarkable scene:
Mr. Daniel AshwoOd, wife and family
were also present. Reaching Yale told
Otel keeper about it, estimating the
salmon at thousands. Thousands p
he exclaimed, almost with indignation,
why, there are millions of them now
running up the Fraser within few
miles of town." Getting aboard Mr..
OnderdOnk's construction train Irode
along tho river fifteen miles to the end
of the track. Millions was probably
not much Of an exaggeration, for al
though tho river was quite muddy,
schools of salmon, numbering thOus-
andS each, could be seen from the plat
form of tue cars, at short intervals, the
entire distance. The Indians were
catching and drying them in large guam
titles. Standing upon the edge of per-
pendicular projecting Lodges, they Cap
tured the largest and finest specimens,
either by means of hooks or scoOp-nets,
drese them upon the spot and hang them
up on long poles to dry in the wind and
sun. When sufficiently cured they are
packed III caches made from cedar
shakes, and suspended for safe keeping
among tie branches of trees from 20 to
80 feet above the ground. 1t is the
opinion of those familiar with the hab-
its of the salmon, that not one in
thousand succeeds in depositing their
spawn, and that if batching places we're
provided upon these streams and pro-
tected, that they could scarcely be ex-
hausted, under proper restrictions as to
catching them.