The San Francisco call., 1901-10-06

slowly lowered and the catch is def --fteo
on the deck, where the rubber booted men
sort the various kinds and pack them in
separate compartment in the hold y
moderate catch is about fifty boxes,
seventy pounds TO the box. comprising all
kinds-f1ounddr, tomcod, seabass goldfish,
and occasionally small sharks. Crabs, too,
are taken up in the dragnets, sometimes
an octopus, ard not infreQuently the nets
torn into shreds by some deep sea
monster becoming entangled. AS a rule,
two or three drags are sufficient to fill the
demand but on Thursday the boats re-
main out longer. in order to provide
material for Fridays increased sale.
From 4 to o'clock in the afternoon from
Fisherman's wharf the launches skfrs
and tugs can be seen coming in, looking
like flock of brown birds as they near
the harbor From the deck Of our boat,
we steamed into the still water, we
could see the little army of helpers rusn-
ing about, getting ready to unload-and
here comes really the lively part of the
day, for the wholesalers send down
wagons to be loaded: the enterprising
Cinnamon troop in with their immense
shoulder; Americans. including artists,
students and just 1oungers, stand about
watching the process OF putting the fish
into the baskets which are lowered by
the wharf.
These baskets when full are let down
still lower, swished around in the water
to wash off the contents, then hauled up
and the fish packed standing as IL
rapidly loaded into wagons.
The same scene is being repeated from
different parts of the long wharf, and at
each new arrival the interests of the
onloOkers sWerve, for every one IS curious
to see the matches opened and get a
glimpse of the catch. Groups of China
men jabber, examine the fish as though
they were purchasing diamonds, then
when the Italian dealer begins to say
picturesque things in his native tongue,
which somehow the heather seem to
comprehend, they fill up their baskets
quickly, hand over the money and shuttle
over to the crabbers to repeat the jabber-
ing and haggling.
An interesting portion of Fisherman's
wharf which, by the way, has been
moved to the foot of Stockton street, is
the net department. All the length of the
companion wharf the nets are hung out
to dry. The great bundle of white corks,
the ficaters, lie bleaching in the sun and
are admittedly a great temptation to the
visiting artists with hobby for gathering
studio decora tions.
Back of the long building which Is used
as a market when an over supply of fish
comes in, is a dyeing or tanning depart
ment. Here nets and sails are soaked in
strong solution of TAM This colors them
a pretty shade of coffee brown and at the
same time adds to their durability. for
nets and sails so treated withstand the
wear and tear, giving several years SER
vice over the untanned ones.
Saturday is the fishermens Sunday. No
beats go out on that day, the fish for
Monday being caught on our day of rest.
but the men and boys congregate on the
wharf just the same, and a wholesale
mending of nets takes place Sitting
tailor fashion, the operator weaves the
shuttle back and forth patching up a great
hole in no time, and this, too, Is the social
gathering of the week, and here the real
fish stories, tales of sea serpents and
mcrmaids, adventures with whales, etc.
are exchanged, and to the outsider this
Italian wit and imagination is revela-
ton. What capital dime novel writers
some Of these dwellers of the wharf would
make if given an opportunity.
One of the most popular characters of
this little world all by itself is the Col
lector Of wharfage rent, Luther G. Norris.