Idaho semi-weekly world. [volume] (Idaho City, Idaho Territory) 1875-1908, 1893-05-16
A BIG CATCH OF SALMON.
CITIZEN TRAINS LUCK FISHING IN
OREGON YEARS AGO.

An Account of the First Visit OF wen
| Known Man to the Northwest soon
After the Civil war--How the Eccentric
! Got a Ducking-EIe Caught 264 Fish
George Francis Train, while at the
Portland, told friend some OF the Incl
dents of visit he paid this state many
years ago, away back early in the sixties.
He said he was the first one to discover
salmon in the Columbia, and caught 2o4
in a day, and carried them across the
Columbia, walking on the backs OF the
salmon which crowded the river; also
/ that he learned the Chinook jargon III
| fifteen minutes.
Like most of the "reminiscences OF by
gone DAYS in Oregon, there is some foun-
dation for these statements, but still
they vary somewhat from the facts in
the case. A correct account, therefore,
of Mr.. Trains exploits in catching salmon
and studying Chinook jargon will be
found interesting.
1t was somewhere about 1864 OF 1865
when Mr.. Train first came out here, just
after a Fenian scare in Canada. 1t was
when he took a run across the line to
Victoria, and the long roll of the British
drums was heard, and the troops were
called out, sentries doubled and detect
ives kept watch over every move he
made while he was on British territory
Mr.. Train had aspirations for the
presidency in those days, and gentle
man here has photograph of him, pre-
sented by Mr.. Train himself, on the back
of which is written an invitation for the
the recipient to meet the donor in the
White House when he should be elected
president.
MR.. TRAIN TRIES HIS HAND.
While here Mr.. Train visited The
Dallcs, on the invitation of Captain j.
C. Ainsworth, and made his first acquaint-
ance with the Chinook salmon and
Chinook jargon in their native wilds.
This was long before a can of salmon
had been put up on the Columbia, and
when the only salmon fisheries on the
river were those of the Indians at the
Cascades and at The Dalles.
Mr.. Train was to address the citizens
of The Da,les in the church. and the day
before paid a visit to salmon fishery in
the rapids below Cello. He greatly adj
mired the easy, graceful manner in
which an Indian, standing on frail
platform hung over narrow chute,
plunged his dipnet into the foaming cur
rent and lifted the salmon out on the
rocks, and he wished to try his hand.
The Indian endeavored to dissuade
him, telling him that he would "killapi
copa chuck is, fall into the river;
but Mr.. Train insisted, and the Indian
politely yielded up his net and stand,
and Mr.. Train stepped out on the plat
form, net in hand
! Never before since the Columbia forced
its way through the Cascades had such
spectacle been presented to the Chi
nook salmon. Mr.. Train wore green
broadcloth swallowtail coat with brass
buttons, tall silk hat, satin vest and
ruffied shirt As he passed his net for a
scoop" he was the observed of all OBJ
servers. He scooped, and large Chi
nook salmon was caught in his net, but
instead of pulling it out it pulled him in,
and before one could say "Jack Robin
son" Mr. Train was being whirled away
like cork in the swift current.
HE MAKES A PREDICTION.
Several Indians, who had evidently ex-
pected this, Immediately jumped in, and,
fortunately, succeeded in dragging Mr..
Train ashore. His tall hat was dancing
like bubble down the current, but
lot Of young Indians scampered after it
and soon brought it back.
Mr.. Train was not to be baked by his
mishap, and while he peeled off his coat,
vest, ETC., he took lesson in Chinook
and found out what "killapi copa chuck"
meant. Having stripped down to his
rutf1ed shirt and laid his garments out
in the sun to dry, he again took the net,
and telling his friends to go back to The
Dalles and send up an engine for him at
o p. M, he stepped out on the platform
and tished all day, piling up 264 fine sal
mon.
When the engine came after him he
wished to take the salmon to town with
him to ornament the rostrum from which
ne was to speak that evening, but was
dissuaded from this on the ground that
1t would not look well in church.
He delivered lecture that evening in
winch he complimented the pioneers on
their bravery and fortitude in immigrant
ing to this section, and told them that
while they were seeking for gold in the
mountains and hoping to get wealth
from their herds of cattle, which ranged
on ten Thousand hills, there was immense
wealth swimming past their doors I'M
noticed.
lie then predicted that in few wears
the salmon of the Columbia won1d bn
canned and exported to the uttermost
ends of the earth, and would become
one OF the great products of this state.
an OF which has become true.-Portland
Oregonian.
pays Tor the Saints and Saints for the DAYS.
The Puritan iconoclasticism which |