The morning call., 1892-07-07
THE SAN BRUNO CAMP.
How the AIong oIians Catch Tons or Small
Fish With ImpunIty.

How the MongoIians Catch Tons or Small
Fish With ImpunIty.
The Chinese fishing camp at Lux's Point
is officially known as the San Bruno camp
because it is nearest to that place. The
camp, however, is located on the beach at
Lnx's Point, or lover the hills from the
stockyaTds," as the Badenites say.
For 20 years has this camp been in exist
ence, and for that length of time. with only
semi occasional exceptions, have these Mon
golians been catching young fish for ship
ment 10 China. 1t has come to be one Of
the established Industries of South San
Francisco.
OF course shrimps have been caught as
well as YouDghsh, but the enormous catches
of tie latter every year have not even been
yelled under the gulse Of fishing exclusively
for shriniDS.
Ask anybody at San Bruno, Baden or
South san Francisco what the Chinese over
at Lux's Point are catching in their nets,
and the answer will come sure:
why. little fish and shrimps."
Fifty times from as many different resi-
dents did this answer come 70 THE CALL
reporters inquiries yesterday, and most Of
the people interviewed seemed TO think that
as long as the Chinese caught only 'those
little bits of fishes" no harm was being
done by them.
In fact, one promising citizen, when he
had learned the nature OF The CALL re-
porteI's visit went on to explain to the
latter that he would ipd no Illegal fishing
IN these parts, for" said he. II never seed
them have a fish in their camp that WAS
more'n an inch an half long, an I've
been there lots OF times an seen lots OF the
catch spread out on the ground dryin'.'
We're it not for the fierce and tiresome
winds which sweep IN from the ocean it
would be q nice walk over the hills from
the new StoCkyards to the fishing camp
In the bright sunlight the fields, through
which the trail runs. take on the hue Of old
gold. Occasionally there is patch of scrub
oak, anu sometimes the patch runs peril
ously near to the edges Of sleep cliffs. the
walls Of which are almost perpendicular
ana entirely green.
Climb half dozen fences. pass a score of
notwithstanding mules at pasture and a
flock of sheep, whose dirty wool blends
well with the old-gold fields. Keep going
up and up 0il-you are near the top, then
over backward around the summit and you
come suddenly and Unexpectedly upon one
81 the most picturesque scenes to be found
On the shores of San Francisco Bay.
Come also very suddenly upon a smell
at is neither mild nor agreeable.
You have reached the oldest Chinese
fishing camp on the bay. You are tired and
glad 10 SIT down on bag of dried shrimp
kernels to catch your breath after the long
climb and sudden descent.
Look GU. over the blue waters and see at
different points the five Chinese fis1inp-
junks which comprise the feet OF the san
Bruno camp.
Where each junk is stationed there is a.
stationary net into the meshes Of which
the shrlmps and little fish are being swep.
by the force OF the tide by the tens Of thou
sands.
Look nearer home Your eve takes in
the typical Chinese shrimp-catchers' camp.
They are mainly all alike and change only
as the conformation Of the surrounding
hills necessitates.
In this case the rickety old sheds and huts
are stretched out in a row along the beach.
Back Of them are the drying grounds, the
boiling troughs. the nets, and bags of the
finished product
REALISTICALLY dressed - or rather nm
dressed-Chinese are going here and there
about their various duties. Some are boil
leg, some scattering the shrmps on the
drying grounds. and some shoyeling the
dried shrlmps INTO big bags, which when
filed weigh 200 pounds.
They are working on yesterdays catch.
The feet OF junks viii not return till even
Ing, but then they will be filled to the
hatchways.
Beside the bag OF dried shrimp kernels
you are sitting on are many bags OF small
dried fish. In some OF the sheds you find
many more bags OF dried fish. but iD vain
you look for fresh fish. All of yesterday s.
eaten must have been ''clean," that is, free
from small fsh--or maybe The fish caught
yesterday IS In hiding somewhere. perhaps
way down in the hoId of one of the junks
lying on the shore. Who knows?
Assuredly not the Fish Commissioners.
Tor OF all the Celestial camps that oil San
Bruno is freest from mundane inspection or
persecution.
is"I took 10 hogs over to the Cinnamon one
evening last week." said South San Fran
clscaD TO The CALL reporter. "aud saw
them taking little bits of fish OUT of the
junks by the barrel"
The i've junks are manned respectively
by Wo Hop and four men. zee Chong and
four men, Leong On and four men, Gen
sang Lee and four men. and Tung Lee Kee
end four men. Thus in all there are %
Chinese fishermen In this camp. Add to