The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1890-12-22
CATCHING POLAR COD.
How the Alaska Esquimaux
Fish Through the Ice.
THE ARcTic's INHABITANTS.
The Indian Paradise Near the Macken-
zie, Where Fish, Deer, Sheep, Birds,
Whales and Seals Abound.
Forest and stream.


Grand Banks and Georges, stands to the
Esquimaux in as important relation as
its bigger relative to the people OF New
England. As this fish is one of the sub
jects of communication from a valued
correspondent we present iirst sketch of
its distribution and the brief record of its
life history. The polar cod, called in Cap
tain Herendeen's letter the tomcod, is the
polar goldfish Of Richardson and the saida
cod of the Fishery industries" Green
landers know it as the misarkornok
The polar cod inhabits the region around
the North Pole 1t is recorded from Arch
angel, Nova Zembla, Spitzbergen and
Greenland. In the White sea il is very
abundant, being captured there, according
to Coliett, in great numbers and sold III
Archangel.
This nsh does not appear to have been
taken in Alaska south of st. Michaels.
In Plover bay, Siberia, we found II suf-
ficiently common in August and Septein-
Der. The species is very common in Arctic
waters of the east coast of North America.
Mr.. Ludwig kumlien found it in Cumber-
land gulf in January, ISIS. He states that
il forms the principal food of one of the
Greenland seals in the winter. On Sir
Edward Parry's first voyage it was taken
among the surface ice in Baifin's bay. and
on his second voyage multitudcs of the
fish were collected from rocky pools in
Duke OF York's bay. Southampton island,
where they had been left by the ebb tide.
In Prince Regents inlet Parry found it
equally common during his third voyage.
Sir John Ross took it abundantly in Batty
bay in July and occasionally in winter in
Felix harbor. Parry found the polar cod
as far north as latitude s23i dogs. in
abundance in small bays at the mouths of
fresh water streams. Richardson records
il as q common winter inhabitan; of the
northern bays of Greenland.
Lucien NJ. Turner, writing of bis expert
ence in Alaska, has the following about the
species:
THE specimens of Arctic cod collected
by me were obtained in the latter part of
February, 1877, the coolest month during
nearly four years stay at st. Michaels.
Some natives had many holes in the ice in
the bay and were tIshing through these
holes when | visited them and obtained
several specimens. This species was not
observed at any other than the winter sea-
son. The natives informed me that they
only occur in winter. They were obtained
in about three and one-half fathomS"
Mr.. 4. w. Nelson, who is also a we'll
known Alaskan explorer, collected speci-
mems late in November on Norton sound,
where it was abundant for a few days in
company with the TGchnd, small cod
known in the books as the Gadas naragd
Natives told Nelson that the polar cod oc-
ours every year on one portion of Norton
sound, but Is rarely taken at st. Michaels
The length of the polar cod is said to
reach maximum of fourteen inches; the
average length, however, is about one
foot, and the weight less than one-half
pound.
The fish, according to Richardson,
spawns on sea weeds, along the shores, in
February, and under the ice
On the 10th of August, a little above the
Arctic circle, not far from the coast of
Alaska, while sailing along in the coast
survey schooner Yukon, DIR. Bean saw
large numbers of swimming Jelly fishes,
very much like the common sun Jelly
(Cgdaed) OF the Atlantic, and under the
jelly fishes were frequently seen small
hsh, of which we caught a great MANY
with dip-net. We found these fish to be
the young of the polar cod. This little
fish was as common under the mendusse
as the young butterhsh of the Atlantic
(Poroaotus triGcdnthus) is under the ieliy
tlshes in all the quiet bays of New Eng
land.
Professor Robert Collett. in describing
the fishes of the Norwegian deep sea ex-
petition, records the following facts con-
corning the species:
THE individuals obtained on the expe-
dition, contrary to the experience of
former observers, were taken in the inter
medal strata of the ocean, having on one
occasion been met at or near the surface.
In Magdalene bay seyenty-two individuals.
all of them young, the total averac-
ing about 100 milhmcters G. inches(.
the trawl net, showing beyond
doubt that this species, in common with
its congeners, moves in shoals: but the
animal remains found in the yiscera of the
specimens examined belonged chiefly lin
some instances exclusively to CqiGaars I'm
marchicus, or consisted of fragments of
ThemiSto libeiiatG, along with CGIdaf. ac-
cordngly pelagic forms. occurring at all
depths, from the surface TO the bottom
ION the gills OF one specimen was found
an example OF Haatobaphes: two other
small parasitic crustaceans had attached
themselves to the skin of the same indi-
Vidual."
Richardson mentions the polar cod. or
coalnsh, as the principal nourishment of
the sea fowl which frequent the Arctic
regions in summer, its habit of swimming
at the top OF the water makinglt extremely
easy of capture. He includes the beluga.
or white whale, among its enemies. since
this animal drives the tish upon the ice in
shoals. In summer he found attached 10
the glils parasite similar to the one re-
ierred to by Collect. The polar coalEsh,"
he writes, lis OF so curious a disposition that
IL Is readily attracted TO the surface BIZ
aSltatlng the water, especially in the even
ing. Sometimes IT leaps upon the ice.
when II becomes the prey of the Arctic
foX, which lies IN wait for such q chance
and Is even said TO know how TO brine,
about this desired event by stirring the
water with his foot through a crevice.
The Greenlanders take il in similar way
with their hands. having learned the ART
according To Fahricius, from the Fox
Captain +. z. Herendeen, the we'll
known Arctic traveller, and member of the
signal service party at Point Barrow from
1881 10 lSSS, promised us in the spring of
lSS9, when he was about TO start on a whal-
ing expedition 10 the mouth of the Mackeu-
Zie river, that he would give 10 Forest cad
StTeGm some observations on the animals
encountered IN his Arctic iourneyings.
The captain was at Point Barrow during
the winter Of 1880 bat could not remain
IN the Arctic because of falling health aud
was Obliged 10 return TO San Francisco
from which place he has forwarded the fol-
lowing interesting letter:
II am back IN san Francisco one wear
sooner than | expected NY health was
not good and thought had better return
and not hazard another winter in the
North. We did not get east 10 Herscheu
island, rs we hoped TO do. consequently
cannot give you any information in regard
10 the fishes of that region. although / ana
informed by natives who have lived In the