The Hocking sentinel. [volume] (Logan, Ohio) 1871-1906, 1886-06-10
FISHING FOR SHRINlPS.
Work of the Chinese Fishermen Along the
Pacific Coast.

The sight of the awkward Chinese
Junk has become so common IN the bay
rs to hardly attract the attention of those
who are in the habit of using the ferry
boats constantly, SAYS the San francisco
Post. Occasionally some Jocuiar. con
temptuous remark is made on the build
or rig of one of the crafts, coupled with
a pitying allusion 10 the pover.y-stricken
looking crew. The owners OF the crafts
can afford to let the laugh 60 round,
and none of them arc. at all dcsirous o.
correcting the mistaken impression rs
to their pover-y and the small amount
realized by their trade. 1t will astonish
many of those who have ridiculed the
clumsy, high-sterned boxes, with their
Slated squaresails, to learn that tie
freight carried by these boats amounts
in value to about s. ,0O0. 900 a year. All
of them are engaged in the fishing trade
on the bay and the lagoons or tidal
creeks which run up into the low marshy
lands lying along the shores. They are
here to make as much money in rs short
q time as possible. ard then 90 back TO
China. From Vallejo TO the extreme
southern end of the bay they are busy
ill Inc NtstE tiiC ".ttSto
of the bay with nets having mcshes so
small that nothing that swims can es-
cape them; salmon fry. m.nIows. young
herring. shrimps, and large fish, are. all
scooped in. The larger fish are sold 1T
10 to Is cents per pound in Chinatown,
Nti'e the smaller ones, together with
the shrimps. are sent abroad. When a
haul is made the wriggiing mass is sort
ed out on the beach, The larger fish be-
ing at once sent to market. The small
fish are again sorted. the larger ones be-
ing dried and packed separately. The
shrimps, after being dried, are shaken
m in sieves or riddles. The shells and
small portions Of the shrimps fall
through the sievcs and are carefully
gathered ND in sacks. The meaty parts
are carefully packed and also sent abroad
as table delicacy; the shells and re-
fuse. together with the refuse fish, are
all packed together and sent away to be
used as food tor fowls or for manure.
Every steamer leaving this port lakes
away in the neishborhood OF 400 ions OF
dried shrimps and fish in the proper
tions of $50 tons of s;rimps, 200 tons OF
sar,Iincs. salmon. etc. and fifty tons OF
shrimp shells and fish manure. The
shrimns are the most valuable, bringing
in China an average of $500 per ton.
The sar,lines and salmon are worth
$3.50 per ton, and she refuse $40 per ton.
or a total OF SS7, 600 for the 400 tons OF
product. For years the shipments aver
:,eet. three & month, or thirty-Six ship
ments year. Being IN export of s3, ~, :
600 worth of stuGs gathered by the Chi
ncse iunks. and their lazy. shiftless-
looking crews. Beyond the slight
.mount necessary 10 buy the lumber foI
their boats ard Il little cordaEe and
cloth for sails and rigging. hardly a
dollar OF this Large sum is spent IN this
country. Eycn the nets and the twlne
OF which they are made are brought
from abroad. A gentleman who was
engaged for -carS IN searching Chinese
steamers sta e. that he has oifen seen
Cinnamon land at Ihe mail dock with
patI,inu in tie world in the shape OF
eaui.ai except one Of these nets In
rboi,t Il month the same Chlnaman
would appear rs Il shipper of from three
10 ten tons of fish. He had in the mean
time associated L imsclf with four or five
others: they had secured a secondhand
boat and rome 10 WORK dragging the
iav. In a few months lie WAS noL only
3 shipper but an importer. receiving
Iar.re iots of rice. sugar. .drled fowls. and
other article; Of Chinese Iood, lis well G.
clothing.