New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1896-02-23
FISH OF ALASKAN WATERS.
SWARMS OF VARIETIES FAMILIAR AND
UNFAMILIAR TO EASTERN FISHERMEN

THE cANDLEFIsH AND ITS ENORMOUS
SCHOOLS Or HERRING-PLAYING \
TRICK or WHITE BEARS.
Pomona. Cal. Feb. 1j-Wlam F. Otis. who has
been one OF the Government ichtAyologists Tor
eral years. has gone a scientific expedition 10
the Gulf of Mexico. He was recently in Alaska Tor
ten months studying the strange fish OF that region
III the interest of the Smithsonian Institution
The interesting fish | have ever observed is
the candcnsh of Alaska" said Mr.. Otis the other
day. For the variety OF It's use there's no fish
like It, 1t is about the size of the common smcli,
and averages ten inches in length. 1t runs in vast
schools along the Of Alaska There is no bet
ter parrish. and 1t is fat possible. In fact
they so fat that the natives them dried for
candles, fixing them IN iorked sticks and lighting
one end. Their fat the Esquimaux also fry out for
butter and as substitute it is not 50 bad as you
might suppose. Prepared in the shape OF oil 1t
serves substitute for that obtained from cod
lvers and great quantities of it sold by apothe
carries now In this form.
"Of course the great fish wealth OF Alaska lies
in the abundance Of salmon The biggest variety.
called the King salmon, is gsant.c growing from
sixty to ninety pounds in weight. 1t leaves the
ocean about June of each year for the purpose Of
spawning, going Zoo miles up the rivers. The ma
tives dry these salmon for winter use. cutting them
into three slices after removing the heads, and
leaving the backbones in the middle slice, so that
all three slices connected by the tail. Thus pre-
pared, the fish called 'chowichoeukaN' and
two three them dried weigh least nfty
pounds one is considered sufficient food supply
for day for six men and the dogs that haul
their sedges. Bought from the natives the great
Yukon River. single ukal is valued at one leaf of
tobacco five or six musket balls The chowchee
of the Yukon is held in such high esteem that the
Russians used to salt down several hOgsheads of it
annually for the Cars table when Russia owned
Alaska.
IN Alaska every native is a fisherman. because
almost the entire population depend upon the
sources of the water for food. The men spear and
net and trap the salmon, while the women DO what
they can TO help. dragging great strings Of the
captured fish along the waters edge. and watching
the gill nets in readiness 10 seize and club to death
the scaly victims that get entangled. The work OF
curing and dressing the fish falls naturally to tho
lot OF the women. The usual supply of salmon put
I'D by a family Of four is 1900 fish. averaging five
pounds each before they cured and half
pound each when dried. The stores accumulated in
the warm season are not touched until the in
clemency of the weather about November !, rem
ders fishing longer practicable. AS a rule by
May l. when fishing again be resumed. the re-
servo supplies have been exhausted, and starvation
threatens Each family. in addition to its dried
stock puts up for the winter half barrel or SO
of dried salmon roe.
FOOD FISHES IN ABUNDANCE.
Tho Alaskan waters fairly swarm with food
fishes OF the coast there are Goldfish banks equal
in productiveness to those OF Newfoundland. Sew
eral kinds Of rock cod swim in vast numbers In the
ocean near land. Among these is the palatablc
greenfsh called because Its flesh Is OF a green
sh color but the unusual hue disappears in cooking
In the rivers very far north different varieties OF
white fishes take the place of the salmon They
grow to thirty pounds IN weight and are OF delicious
favor. Grayling are abundant also in the rapid
vlt-
a few of tho valuable fnny species In this great
territory that oeems designed a paradise for tho
fisherman Pike reddish and dogtish arc mostly
utilized food for tho dogs.
'In such enormous schools are the common her
rings of the Pacific found the Northwest coast
most delicious and fat they said to be-that YES
sells sail for hours through shoals OF them and
lazy Indian with stick full OF nails can impale
enough for a boatload in a short time Often u
happens that OF grass on shore are iouni
covered with herring eggs. which an unusual high
tide has left stranded The natives collect the GEES
thus deposited and dry them.
THE hooks fo- catching halibut used by the
Alaskan Indians is much effective than tho
weapon used by white men OF New-England FOR
the same purpose. 1t Is a forked stick, shod with
S he he Iron at when nPa ha the
Of the FISH open 50 that quickly droWns e., oe
night with buoys to hold them made out of the
inflated stomachs OF seals. ,,
i
dus,ry among the coast Indians OF Alaska. The
animals very tmid, and, coming in with the
tide they are easily driven into shoal water by
shouting and splashlng with oars. whereupon they
are dispatched with h.nt-shO1 spears. No otacr
weapons are used for this purpose. because TO 10
so would be sure to entail misfortune according 20
the native superstition. When a whale IS taken the
flesh and blubDer are common property but the
whalebone belongs 10 the captors. The tawbones
are employed for shoelng sled runners and The RIBS
and laws are used IN constructing the frame OF
winter dwellings, Fresh or tainted, indiiferenty,
the meat is esteemed delicacy for eating.
MEAN TRICK on BEARS
Strips Of whalebone folded into the shape OF
the letter ~ enveloped in hunks OF fat and frozen
that way The fat :hus prepared is left in proms-
ing spots for great white bears to devour. Along
comes one of the monsters. gulps hunk down
whole the gastric Juices melt the fat and eat away
the strings of tendon with which the whalebOne -
bound; the whalebOnc springs out straight across
the animals stomach and presently IL dies. Next
day Mr. Esqumau comes along and gathers in a
big bcarskin worth several quarts Of whiskey.
at Is the custom that while hunting white whales
no native shall chop wood dig in the earth or
tan skins To do any OF these things would offend
the god OF the white whales, who might not permit
those useful cetaceans to come back the next
SON When the whaling Is over all the bones Of the
animal must be gathered and burned for the same
reason and corresponding superstition directs
that all bones OF the walrus, seal and bear shall
consumed likewise BY fire. lest their divinties be
Offended"