Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1895-07-27

An Indian "Shack" Or Hut.
Piled with series of tanks and water pipes
and reservoirs to insure a constant current
night AMI day over the salmon eggs, while
they are being Matched. Besides these
buildings of the fishery station proper there
are small store, in which post Office is
located. and two or three houses in which
the employees live. The population of the
place numbers, all told, about thirty souls
The white men are rot the only inhabitants
OF the place. for during the fishing season
dozens Of Indians of the Digger tribe en-
camp In the vicinity and lay in winters
stock of fish.
Where Salmon Still Swarm.
The salmon used to swarm in the waters
of northern California until hydraulic min
ing was established. The debris dumped
into the rivers drove the salmon out The
McCloud. however, still has bountifnl
supply. A dam across the river at Baird
prevents the fish from going further up the
stream. and. because of the obstruction,
the waters are fairly swarming with salmon
and other members of the finny tribe. So
plentiful are they that constantly, in every
direction. they can be seen jumping out of
the water, sometimes to a height of three
or four feet, and humping agar the dam
and the netting that surmounts it, in their
attempts to overcome the obstruction, and
go farther up the river. A fish dam, as the
reader may perhaps already know, is like
small picket fence. 1t allows the water
Eess of the pickets together the fish has
not room enough to pass.
Hauling Seine.
The fishery employees hauled the SEINE"
as 1t is termed, during my visit. Baird Is
famous for its seine A row boat quickly
started from the shore, young half-breed
handling the oars, and his companion, a
white man. playing out the seine. They
Eept close along the shore until the boat
hd6 a GiSfo vxyho RI oil
across the swift current and down the
other side of the stream, then crossing
again to the point of starting. AS the boat
started on its return the windlass, run by
horse, rapidly drew the seine toward the
shore. AS the netting was pulled in, the
water became Violently agitated and dozens
OF huge fish began to flop and splash IN
their efforts to escape. some jumping over
this haul, weighing from five to forty
pounds. Only the large bucks were
taken, the females being thrown back into
the water. The experienced eyes of the en-
without trouble.
Now came even a more interesting scene.
As l said before, the Indians gather in
the vicinity during the summer season to
lay In their winter stock. They always
know when the seine is to be drawn, for
the word is passed from one camp 70 an
other. Dozens of Indian squaws, with big
bags. hover near the windlass, ready to
seize the fish as they are thrown upon
the sand. Two or three squaws scramble
for it, and the successful scrambIer at
once pounds the fish upon the back of its
head with stone until it's life has been
beaten out. Then it is stuffed into the
bag. Some squaws carry away four or five
fish weighing from twenty-five to forty
pounds. Camping parties were also repre-
sented. Everybody for miles around was
given salmon for breakfast, dinner and
supper for two or three days to come
While three hundred fish were hauled in