The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1899-06-10
SHRIMP DANCERS.
An Odd Industry That Supports q
Chinese Colony Near San
FranciscO.

Chinese COIOny near sun
Francisco.
"Shrimps, shrimps!" is familiar cry
in San Francisco, itinerant traders hav-
ing stands where these pink, many
legged creatures are sold as peanuts are
retailed elsewhere. The shrimp mer-
chants are generally Portuguese or
Italians, who by temptingly displaying
their wares have created demand for
the succulent morsels.
The capture of the shrimps consti-
tutes an important industry around San
Francisco, and an investigation made
by curious American some time ago
showed that the fisheries were in the
hands of the Chinese who were engaged
in supplying the Canton and other Chi
nese markets with shrimps.
The Chinese shrimpers, or shrimp
dancers, as they are called, constitute
a colony by themselves, and in the
main represent as low type of aliens
as can be found on American shores.
One might sail around the harbor of
SanFrancisco for days andnot see them,
as their camps are concealed in certain
out-of-the-way hooks for reasons best
where the hills dip down to the sea a
settlement was found. Here were a
number of shanties of the poorest de-
scription, and leading out from the
beach several small wharves to which
were anchored nondescript fishing
boats. Leading up from the shanties
were two squares of parallelograms,
about 30 by 300 feet, which were per-
fectly distinct from the rest of the soil
and a delicate pink color. On this
strange flooring were score of China
men, gravely hopping about in what
was apparently dance. They held
their arms close to their sides; hopping
now on one foot, again leaping into the
air; moving forward in direct line;
some following the sides, others cross
ing; in all presenting to the observers
ludicrous appearance. Yet the con-
trast of the blue blouses of the dancers
and the delicate pink of the floor was
not inartistic.
Coming out of the bush and walking
down the hill, the ground was found to
be covered with pink shrimps. There
were hundreds of them drying in the
sun, while with them were many yc-' .g
fishes.
The dancers were stamping on the
shrimps to crush the shells. They did
not resent the visit in words, but their
looks suggested that the visitors were
not welcome. The shanties were squalid
in the extreme, containing rude hunks
about which were hung the oilslins of
the fishermen. from which peculiar
odor rose and mingled with that of stale
opium and old fish. In the corner of
one of the shanties was a pagan temple,
with some attempt at the splendors one
sees in San Francisco. An odor of punk
filled the air, and Chinaman was rear
ranging the sandal sticks, while another
Frustrated himself before the shrine.
This was the abode of the fisherman's
god, and before they went out to break
the American law the shrimpers in
voked this god to bring them good luck.
In taking shrimps the fishermen use
various nets-sturgeon travis, fyke
nets, bag nets and others of fine mesh.
The bag net is about 40 feet Tonga
huge cone with an opening 20 feet wide
grading down to a point. Near the
mouth is two-inch mesh: following
this for ten or twelve feet it is reduced
to one inch, while the bag has mesh of
but one-quarter to half an inch. These
traps are set between poles on the flats
and cover the bottom, catching every
shrimp and fish that appears. The nets
are set mainly at night, often being
hauled between midnight and sunrise
The shrimps are brought in in large
numbers, rolled in baskets and the fol.
lowing morning placed in watts of boil
ing water. In ten minutes they have
assumed the delicate shrimp color
They are then taken out and placed on
the level cleared spots and spread with
brooms. Here they bake or dry for five
or SIN days. after which the men with
the wooden shoes begin what has beer
referred to as the shrimp dance. The
shoes are so heavy that the wearer:
cannot move with much agility, so GU
rious shuttle and jumping up and dowr
is the result-a dance which, if seen
might find place on the melodramati,
stage.
The object of the shrimp dance, a.
has been described, is to pulyerize tn,
crustaceans; and pestles and hammer.
are also used to loosen the meat. From
here they go to the basket shakers, who
by placing the crushed shrimps in bas
kets, quart at time, dislodge then
from the shells. Some use machin,
which winnows out the shells, the mea
and the shells being shipped to China
the shells are used as fertilizer abou
tea plants. The Chinese in China de
pend entirely on the San Francisco mar
ket for them, and decade or so ag,
the amount of the yearly shipment wa
100000 pounds of shrimp meat, value,
at $4,000, and nearly 100000 pound
Il of shells valued Mt about Gan nm Dit