The daily Cairo bulletin. (Cairo, Ill.) 1878-1???, 1884-10-23
GLINIPsEs OF ALASKA,
An Awful Smelling Fishing
for Salmon TrOutin Northern
Waters.

49, "nu S"hou AAf"oh"ia pay, uul ~ wa
only this spring that a packing-housC
was built and the shining silver salmon
decoyed into seines. 1t is beautiful
little place, hidden away on the edge Of
this great island, and its air must be
restful to the nerves. The beating OF
the ships paddle-wheels could be
heard for miles in such quiet, land.
locked waters, and the steamers
whistle gave warning of its presence
long before it rounded tho last bends
in the bay. Nevertheless, there were
no signs OF life or excitement about the
fishery, and the two men in sight and
at work on the beach did not even turn
their heads to look at the large ocean
steamer bearing down toward them.
No freight seemed ready, neither boats
nor canoes put out, and the passengers
longed to be listeners when the captain
and purser went ashore in the first
gig and held parley with the easy
going fisherman on shore. When we
followed in the next boats the spicy
part OF the interview was over, and we
simply found that Red bay was the
most awfulsmelling place in Alaska,
the beach a dirty quagmire covered
with kelp and heads and tails of sal
mon, and the Indians hard and
tierce-looking set. The captain had
only the pleasure of the scenery and
the excitement of some skillful pilot
practice for going in there, as the lone
fisherman had no salmon ready to ship
after all his requests for the steamer
to call on the July trip.
Once out OF the tortuous channel and
along the shore some miles, we anch-
ored at the mouth of Salmon creek,
where lighter lay ready loaded at the
packing-house and 1925 barrels of sal
mon were towed out to the ship and
put on board as the result of the first
catch of the first year of this new fish
cry. There was an energetic proprie-
tor running that establishment, and he
welcomed the boat-load of visitors on
shore and led us over half-acre of
shavings into the side door of the
packing-house. A prying man of the
party spied treat string of salmon
trout on the floor and raised historical
shrieks. "Oh! that's nothing" said
the proprietor coolly; "a little mess |
caught for the captain of the ship. The
creek is full of them out here. This
Injun will get you some lines" A
veritable war-whoop followed the an
nouncement, and the anglers broke
into war dance, circling at all hands
around, doing the pigeon-wings and
chains in such frenzied manner that
the astonished Indians crept up on the
barrels and sat gaping and trembling
in their blankets at the sight of their
uncivilized white brethren.
The Indians brought the fish lines,
with common hooks and small stones
tied on for sinkers, and the anglers
were rowed out in an old scow and
anchored not fifty feet from the fish
house. 1t was not artistic fishing with
fancy flies, and anglers with pat
ent reels and nets would have looked
scorn at the little group steadily pull
ing in all the hungry trout that snap
ped at the bits of salmon or salmon
eggs hung out TO them. An old Indian
and small boy came padding around
in leaky canoe, and were pressed into
service to cut bait for the busy fisher
men. AS the trout Topped into the
scow faster than one a minute, wild
shouts rent the air, and the Siwash adj
justants joined in the yells that would
have frightened off anything else in
scales but these untutored Alaska
trout The Hopping fish splashed and
spoiled the clothes OF the fishermen,
but they never needed that, and
tally-keeper was installed on the flour
bags and barrels at the end of the
scow. The excitement was commune
Gated to idlers who had staid on the
ship, and soon second boat put out
for the fishing ground, full of wild
eyed anglers anxious to join in the
carnival. They anchored near the
scow, and their efforts were received
with shouts of derison as they began
pulling in devil-iisb, toad-fsh, sculpin,
skate, and marine curious enough to
stock museum before single trout
was hooked. The Indians came down
and sat in solemn rows on the logs on
the shore to watch the crazy white
fishermen, and they made picturesque
groups that were repeated in the CLASSY
mirror OF water before them. One
old fellow in red blanket made a fine
point OF color against the thick golden
green wall OF spruce trees on the shore.
and children and dogs gave char
acteristic fringe to all the groups.
When the last lighter put out for the
ship the lines were wound up, and the
tally-kecper on the hour-bags read the
record Of the barrel tops. The two
men, one small boy, and tho brave
creature in six-button gloves who bait
ed and tended her own hook caught
altogether ITO trout in the hour and
quarter at anchor in the old scow. The
weight was 60 pounds, and the fisher
men were wild with glee The one
fair angler and the tally-kecper having
moppcd the Shiny boat and the pile OF
fish with their dresses and then seated
themselves on ilour-bags, had full
views OF the fishing scene photographed
on every breadth Of their gowns.
what shall do with my dressP" asked
one OF them when she reached the calm
and well-drcsscd company on deck, and
n cheerful woman said brusquely: 81
guess you'd better fry it, now that it is
dipped in batter. Cor. 81. Louis
Globe Democrat.