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A     GROUP     OF     SPOKAN     INDIANS 
(Drawn  from  a  Photograph). 


THE    NATURALIST 

VANCOUVER   ISLAND  AND 
BRITISH    COLUMBIA. 


BY 


JOHN    KEAST    LORD,   F.Z.S. 

^ATUlULIgT     TO    THE     BRITISH     NOUTIt     AMERICAN     BOfNDARY    COMMIriSION. 


THK   'KBTTLE'  FALLS:  A   SALMON    LEAP   OX   THE    UPPER    COLl'HniA. 


IN  TWO  VOLUMES— VOL.  I. 


LONDON: 
RICHARD    BENTLEY,   NEW   BURLINGTON    STREET, 

PUBLISHER    IK    ORDINARY    TO   HER    MAJESTY. 
1866. 


?«/7./ 

v./ 


3  r^yo 


PREFACE. 


Many  interesting  and  useful  works  have  been 
already  published  relating  to  the  Colonies  of 
Vancouver  Island  and  British  Columbia,  which, 
however,  contain  little  if  any  information  on 
the  subject  of  their  Natural  History. 

This  missing  link  I  venture  in  some  measure 
to  supply.  But  '  The  Naturalist  in  Vancouver 
Island  and  British  Columbia '  is  not  intended  to 
be  a  book  on  Natural  History  merely;  neither 
does  the  Author  desire  to  weary  his  reader  with 
tedious  descriptions  of  genera  and  species.  Com- 
parative anatomy  and  physiology  can  be  acquired 
at  home,  but  habits  are  only  discoverable  by 
those  who  devote  themselves  to  the  rough  though 

VOL.  I.  a 


% 


4i,-% 


VI 


PREFACE. 


pleasant  life  of  a  wanderer,  or  by  the  actual 
observation  of  a  careful  investigator. 

In  the  following  pages,  the  Author  has  pur- 
posely avoided  any  definite  system  of  arrange- 
ment, preferring  a  pleasant  gossip,  chatting, 
as  it  were,  by  the  fireside  about  North- Western 
Wilds. 

A  detailed  list  of  the  Zoological  collection 
made  whilst  Naturalist  to  the  Government  Com- 
mission will  be  found  in  the  Appendix. 


John  Keast  Lord. 


AONOON :  May  28, 1866. 


# 


INTRODUCTION. 


Before  setting  sail  from  Southampton,  it  may 
perhaps  be  as  well  to  devote  a  few  pages  expla- 
natory of  the  early  history  and  discovery  of  Van- 
couver Island  ;  why  we  are  going  there  ;  and  the 
object  of  the  Commission  to  which  I  belong. 

In  the  year  1587,  we  learn,  that  a  Captain  Caven- 
dish, in  order  to  repair  his  shattered  fortunes,  fitted 
out  three  ships  for  the  purpose  of  plundering  on 
the  high  seas.  After  many  unsuccessful  raids, 
we  next  hear  of  him  lurking  in  his  ship  behind 
a  spit  of  land.  Cape  St.  Lucas,  on  the  CaiiArnian 
coast  (a  prominent  rocky  bluff,  not  unlike  'the 
Needles,' ),  waiting  for  the  *  St.  Anna,'  a  galleon 
freighted  with  rich  merchandise  and  a  hundred 
and  twenty-two  thousand  Spanish  dollars.  She 
heaves  in  sight,  little  dreaming  of  her  danger  ; 

is  pounced  upon,  boarded,  and  taken*  her  trea- 

-2 


A 


it 


Vlll 


INTRODUCTION. 


'' 


sure  transferred  to  the  hold  of  the  buccaneer ; 
the  crew  rowed  ashore,  and  their  ship  set  on  fire. 
Death  seemed  inevitable,  when  a  breeze,  which 
soon  increased  to  a  gale,  drifting  the  burning 
hull  on  the  rocks  providentially  proved  a  means 
of  escape,  for  a  raft  was  made,  and  launched. 
Upon  this  the  men  stood  out  to  sea. 

After  enduring  frightful  privations,  a  friendly 
ship  picked  them  up,  and  they  eventually  reached 
Europe  in  safety.  Amongst  the  sailors  rescued 
from  the  raft  was  a  Greek,  Apostolos  Valerianos, 
who  for  some  reason  was  nick-named  by  his 
shipmates  .Tuan  de  Fuca.  Nine  years  after  his 
escape  from  the  raft  we  hear  of  him  in  Venice. 

In  1596  Mr.  Locke,  a  merchant,  and  his 
friend  John  Douglas,  a  sea-captain,  were  residing 
in  Venice,  and  nightly  smoked  their  pipes  at  a 
snug  wine-shop,  the  resort  of  sea-faring  men. 
A  constant  visitor  at  this  house  of  entertainment 
was  a  pilot  on  the  Greek  seas,  who  had  attracted 
Douglas's  attention  by  the  wonderful  stories  he 
related ;  so  much  so  that  he  induced  his  friend, 
Mr.  Locke,  to  listen  to  the  old  man's  adventures.* 

•  For  full  narrative  of  Apostolos  Valerianos,  see  Samuel 
Purchase  His  Pilgrims. 


;*•  r' 


IK^ODUCTION. 


IX 


The  story  of  the  raft  we  already  know.  The 
remainder  was  to  the  effect  that  he  entered  into 
the  service  of  the  Viceroy  of  Mexico,  by  whom 
he  was  sent,  in  a  small  caraval,  to  explore  the 
Califomian  coast.  He  managed  to  reach  lat. 
47°  N.,  and  finding  the  coast  inclined  towards 
the  N.  &  NE.,  and  that  a  wide  expanse  of  sea 
opened  out  between  47°  lat.,  his  position,  and 
48°,  he  entered  the  Strait,  and  sailed  through  it 
for  twenty  days.  Finding  the  land  still  tended 
to  NE.  &  NW.  and  also  E.  &  SE.,  he  proceeded, 
passing  through  groups  of  beautiful  islands,  and 
so  sailed  on  until  he  came  into  the  North  Sea; 
but  being  quite  unarmed,  and  finding  the  natives 
very  hostile,  he  made  his  way  back,  and  reported 
his  discovery  of  the  entrance  to  what  he  believed 
the  North- West  Passage. 

But  the  Viceroy  was  not  impressed  with  the  va- 
lue of  the  old  man's  report,  and  paid  him  nothing 
for  it.  Disgusted  with  the  government  and  all 
belonging  to  it,  he  worked  his  way  back  to 
the  Mediterranean,  and  we  next  meet  with  him 
as  a  pilot  on  the  Adriatic. 

Master  Locke  at  once  wrote  to  Sir  Walter 
Raleigh,  Master  Hakluyt,  and  to  Lord  Cecil, 


-'*g. 


p. 


X  INTRODUCTION. 

asking  for  100/.  to  bring  over  the  mariner  who 
possessed  such  a  knowledge  of  the  north-west 
coast.  All  thought  the  information  invaluable, 
but  no  one  felt  disposed  to  pay  the  money.  Time 
wore  on;  the  old  storm-worn  pilot,  growing  feeble, 
left  for  his  native  island.  Locke  again  and 
again  urged  his  request.  At  last  the  long- 
coveted  means  came,  but  too  late,  the  old  sailor 
was  no  more. 

This  strange  story  was  current  in  England 
long  after  he  who  told  it  was  dead  and  forgotten. 
A  few  believed  it,  but  the  many  thought  it  an 
entire  fabrication. 

In  1776,  Captain  Cook  missed  the  entrance  to 
the  Straits,  and,  mistaking  the  west  side  of  Van- 
couver Island  for  the  mainland,  reported  the 
story  to  be  a  fiction  as  told  by  the  old  sailor.  It 
will  suffice  for  explanation  to  skip  a  crowd  of 
events,  and  take  up  the  narrative  of  the  dis- 
covery of  the  island  in  1792,  when  Captain 
Vancouver  was  sent  to  Nootka  Sound,  for  what 
purpose  does  not  matter  now.  Coasting  south- 
wards, he  entered  the  Straits,  and  eventually  came 
out  at  Queen  Charlotte  Sound :  which  settled  the 
qutstion.     The   Island  bears  the   name    of  its 


.%■ 


■4SA 


*%i 


%.^. 


INTRODUCTION.  XL 

discoverer  (Vancouver  Island),  the  Straits  that 
of  the  old  sailor  (Juan  de  Fuca). 

By  the  treaty  of  Washington,  the  49th  pi.  of 
lat.  N.  was  to  be  the  recognised  Boundary  Line^ 
the  course  through  the  sea  to  be  the  centre  of 
the  Gulf  of  Georgia,  and  thence  southward 
through  the  Channel  which  separates  the  con- 
tinent from  Vancouver  Island,  to  the  Straits  of ' 
Juan  de  Fuca. 

The  duties  of  our  Commission  were  to  mark 
the  Boundary  line  from  the  coast  to  the  eastern 
slope  of  the  Rocky  Mountains. 

May  1866. 


»j  Vr        ^^ 


^ 


^ 


it 


# 


CONTENTS 

OF 

THE    FIRST    VOLUME. 

CHAPTER  I.  ^ 

PAGE 

The  Voyage 1 

CHAPTER  H. 

Victoria — The  Salmon :  its  haunts  and  habits      ...      86 

CHAPTER  HI. 
Fish  HaiTesting 62 

CHAPTER  IV. 

The  Round-fish,  Herrings,  and  Viviparous  Fish  ...      97 

CHAPTER  V. 

Sticklebacks  and  their  Nests — The  Bullhead — The  Rock-  cod 
—The  Chirus— Flatfish 121 

CHAPTER  VI.  * 

Halibut  Fishing — Dogfish — A  Trip  to  Fort  Rupert — Ransom- 
ing a  Slave— A  Promenade  with  a  Redskin — Ragging  a 
Chiefs  Head — Queen  Charlotte's  Islanders  at  Nanaimo    .     142 

CHAPTER  VII. 

Sturgeon-spearing — Mansucker — Clams       ....    175 


XIV 


CONTENTS   OF   THE  FIRST  VOLUME. 


CHAPTER  VIII. 

Mule-hunting  Expedition  from  Vancouver  Island  to  San 
Francisco — The  Almaden  Quicksilver  Mines — Poison-oak 
and  its  Antidote 


PAOB 


199 


CHAPTER  IX. 

Sacramento  —  Stockton  —  Califomian  Ground-squirrels  — 
Grass- valley — Stage  Travelling — Hydraulic  Washings — 
Nevada — Marysville — Up  the  Sacramento  River  to  Red 
Bluffs — A  dangerous  Bath 221 

CHAPTER  X. 


The  Start  from  Red  Bluffs— Mishaps  by  the  Way— Devil's 
Pocket — Adventure  at  Yreka— Field-crickets — The  Cali- 
fomian Quail — Singular  Nesting  of  Bullock's  Oriole         . 

'  CHAPTER  XI. 


245 


Crossing  the  Klamath  River — How  to  Swim  Mules — Sis-ky- 
oue  Indians — Emigrant  Ford — Trout  Baling — A  Beaver  i 
Town — Breeding-grounds  of  the  Pelicans  and  various 
Water-birds — Pursued  by  Klamath  Indians — Interview 
with  Chief —  The  Desert  —  Prong-homed  Antelopes  — 
Acorns  and  Woodpeckers — Yellow-headed  Blackbirds  — 
Snake  Scout — Arrival  at  Camp  of  Commission — End  of 
Journal 268 

CHAPTER  Xn. 

Sharp-tailed  Grouse  —  Bald-headed  Eagle  —  Mosquitos — 
Lagomys  Minimus  (Nov.  Sp.) — ^Humming-birds — Urotri- 
chus 300 


CHAPTER  Xm. 

The  Aplodontia  Leporina.  (Rich.) 


846 


to  San 
on-oak 

*                 • 

PAGB 

199 

rrels  — 

mgs— 
0  Red 
•        • 

221 

[)evU'8 
Cali- 

245 

is-ky- 
leaver 

1  -  ' 

irious 

'View 

)e8  — 

ds 
Id  of 

• 

268 

08 — 

otri- 

ILLUSTEATIONS 


FOB 


THE     FIRST     VOLUME. 


t 


The  Kettle    Falls :   a  Salmon  Leap   on  the    Upper 


Columbia    . 
A  group  of  Spokan  Indians 
Viviparous  Fish  . 
Sturgeon-spearing 
Sharp-tailed  Grouse    . 
North-Western  Humming-birds 
Urotrichus  .... 
Aplodontia,  or  Ou-ka-la 


vignette 

frontispiece 

to  face  page  106 

„     185 

300 


j» 


» 


» 


M 


„  328 
„  338 
„    346 


f 


ERRATA  IN  VOL.  I. 

Page    88,  line  19, /or  blubbering  rcaciblubbery 
„     105,    ,,    20, /or  within  wati  in 
„     157,    „      2, /or  scenery  on  my  left.    The  rcati  scenery.     On  my 

left  the  ' 

„     168,    ,,    23, /or  Nimkis  rca<i  Nimkish  .  ^' 

„     164,    ,,      9, /or  this  cannon  rmrf  these  cannons 
„     177,    „    1 3, /or  cauiarercrt<?  caviare 

„     179,    ,,      9,/or  are  read  is ;  and  line  16,/or  fourteen  read  seven 
„     195,    „      9,  for  three  read  one 

„     232,    „      8,  for  pack  and  equipment  read  pack  equipment 
„     268,    „      6,   heading  to  chapter,  for  The  Desert  Prong-horned 

read  The  Desert — Prong-horned 
„     296,    „      8,  for  Reiijey  read  Beiner 
„     349,    „    \2  ioT  Actomya  xeaA.  Arctomya     , 


t   1 

IS 


VANCOUVER    ISLAND 


AND 


BRITISH  COLUMBIA. 


CHAPTER  I. 


THE   VOYAGE. 


a  read  seven 


Whether  Good  Friday  was  more  unlucky  than 
Fridays  usually  are,  in  the  estimation  of  sea- 
going men,  I  know  not,  but  from  England  to  St. 
Thomas  we  encountered  a  succession  of  head- 
winds and  terrific  seas.  Of  course  it  was  the  re- 
gular typical  storm :  '  waves  running  mountains 
high,  threatening  instantaneously  to  engulph  the 
struggling  ship  in  a  watery  abyss;  rent  sails, 
creaking  timbers,  men  lashed  to  the  wheel  (real 
tarry  Ixions) ;  screaming  mothers,  and  remark- 
ably sick  papas  and  passengers,' — that  ended  in 
our  case,  as  it  usually  does  in  all  sensation  sea- 
voyages.  St.  Thomas  was  arrived  at  in  perfect 
safety,  some  few  days  after  time. 

Amongst  the  passengers  was  a  lady,  fat  be- 
yond anything  I  have  ever  seen  (of  the  human 

VOL.  I.  B 


THE   VOYAGE. 


kind)  outside  a  show.  From  the  time  of  her  ap- 
pearance in  the  morning  until  her  bedtime,  she 
invariably  sat  in  one  place — her  throne  a  small 
sofa,  behind  the  cabin-door.  Flying-fish  were 
constantly  driven  on  the  deck  of  the  steamer,  or 
flung  up  into  the  sponsons  by  the  paddlewheels ; 
and  being  most  anxious  to  preserve  some  of  these 
curious  tenants  of  the  ocean,  I  tried  every  means 
to  procure  them ;  but  the  '  stout  party,'  by  re- 
sorting to  most  unjustifiable  bribing,  so  enslaved 
the  sordid  mind  of  the  steward,  that  he  got  hold 
of  the  fish  in  spite  of  me,  and  actually  had  the 
delicate  beauties  cooked,  and  ignominiously  fried 
at  the  galley-fire,  for  that  terrible  old  lady  to  eat. 
With  reo^ret  and  indiomation  I  have  watched  her 
munching  them  up,  and  wickedly  longed  to  see 
her  prostrated  by  that  terrible  leveller  seasick- 
ness, or  the  victim  of  dyspepsia — evil  wishes  of  no 
avail :  she  ate  on,  in  healthful  hungry  defiance  of 
wind  and  waves,  and  the  wrath  of  an  injured 
naturalist. 

The  first  peep  one  gets  of  the  little  Danish 
town  of  St.  Thomas,  too  well  known  to  need 
more  than  a  casual  notice,  is  picturesque  and 
pretty.  Built  on  the  scarp  of  a  steep  hill,  its 
houses  arranged  in  terraces,  and  all  painted  with 
bright  and  gaudy  colours ;  its  feathery  groves  of 


THE   VOYAGE. 


tamarind- trees ;  gay  gardens  decked  with  flowers, 
possessing  a  brilliancy  and  magnitude  seen  only 
in  a  hot  climate ;  together  with  the  showy  dresses 
of  the  natives,  it  becomes  the  more  impressive 
as  contrasted  mth  the  sombre  island  so  recently 
left  behind. 

Scarcely  had  the  '  Parana  '  steamed  into  the 
harbour — much  more,  by  the  way,  like  a  stagnant 
cesspool  than  a  rocky  inlet,  filled  with  pure  sea- 
water — when  boats  of  all  sizes,  and  far  too  nu- 
merous to  count,  crowded  round  us.  Everyone, 
seeming  at  once  to  forget  seasickness  and  rough 
weather,  scrambled  into  this  medley  fleet,  and 
with  all  speed  were  rowed  ashore — there  to  re- 
main, during  the  transference  of  the  mails  and 
baggage  from  the  English  steamer  to  the  other 
vessels  waiting  to  take  their  departure. 

It  has  often  puzzled  me  to  imagine,  why  tra- 
vellers in  steamboats  and  sailing-ships  invariably 
do  the  same  thing.  Take  this  very  case  as  an  in- 
stance of  what  I  mean.  Though  yellow-fever 
was  raging  like  a  plague,  still  the  greater  number 
of  the  passengers  made  straight  for  the  hotel, 
and  there  and  then  devoured  a  heavy  breakfast 
composed  of  bad  fish,  raw  vegetables  (libellously 
called  salad),  unripe  fruits,  followed  by  a  brown 
substance,   in  size,  shape,   and  texture,  vastly 

B  2 


THE   VOYAGE. 


like  to  the  heel  of  a  boot  floating  in  hot  oil, 
which  we  are  informed  by  the  polite  waiter  is 
'bef  steek  k  la  Anglais' — the  whole  washed 
down  with  copious  libations  of  intensely  sour 
claret  iced  to  the  freezing-point. 

The  next  thing  in  the  programme  is  the  ex- 
ploration of  the  town,  during  which  all  sorts  of 
things  are  purchased  at  fabulous  prices,  that 
can  never,  by  any  possibility,  be  required.  Such 
unusual  exercise  in  a  hilly  place,  exposed  to  the 
scorching  heat  of  the  sun,  soon  begets  a  feverish 
thirst,  necessitating  copious  draughts  of  iced- 
water  dashed  with  cognac,  unlimited  cobblers, 
or  more  cold  sour  poison.  Raw  vegetables,  acid 
wine,  cobblers,  cognac,  cocoanut,  and  other 
'  comestibles '  soon  produce  disagreeable  ad- 
monitory twinges :  dread  of  yellow-fever  immedi- 
ately suggests  itself — bang  goes  the  signal-gun ! 
A  hasty  scamper  for  the  boats  dispelling  further 
alarm,  all  rush  on  board,  there  to  compare  notes, 
groan  over  their  pains  and  stupidity,  and  go 
through  precisely  the  same  performance  at  the 
rext  place  of  landing. 

At  St.  Thomas  we  exchanged  the  commo- 
dious steamer  '  Parana '  for  the  '  Trent,'  much 
more  famous  for  getting  into  trouble  than  for 
getting  out  of  it.     The  run  from   the   island 


THE   VOYAGE.  5 

across  the  Caribbean  Sea  to  Santa  Marta,  after  the 
tumblings  and  buffetings  that  would  have  been 
good  training  for  an  acrobat,  endured  betwixt 
England  and  St.  Thomas,  seemed  to  me  the 
very  perfection  of  sea-travelling.  Although  a 
most  enjoyable  passage,  still  it  became  mono- 
tonous: one  tires  of  old  threadbare  jokes  and 
yarns,  and  wearies  even  of  gazing  day  after  day 
into  the  clear  blue  sea,  each  day  appearing  the 
very  counterpart  of  the  other. 

Sluggish  lump-fish,  with  their  uncouth  heads 
and  misshapen  bodies,  continually  wriggle  slowly 
and  idly  along  with  us ;  sun-fish,  in  their  parti- 
coloured armour,  float  by,  ever  performing  ec- 
centric undulations.  Now  a  stiff  black  fin 
cleaves  the  water  suspiciously,  leaving  a  wake 
behind,  as  would  a  miniature  ship — the  danger- 
signal  of  a  greedy  shark;  huge  leaves  of  kelp, 
wrack,  and  sea-tangle  drift  by,  rafts  to  myriads 
of  crustaceans  and  minute  zoophytes ;  the  rudder 
creaks  and  groans  to  the  music  of  its  iron  chains, 
clanking  over  the  friction-rollers,  as  the  helms- 
man turns  the  wheel ;  sea-birds  peep  at  us,  then 
wheel  away  to  be  seen  no  more;  whilst  ever 
following  are  the  '  Chickens  of  Mother  Carey,' 
dipping,  but  never  resting,  on  the  ripple  at  the 
stern. 


r4 


6 


THE   VOYAGE. 


i  \ 


I  had  both  heard  and  read  of  a  formidable 
fortress  that  once  guarded  the  entrance  to  the 
snug  harbour,  on  one  side  of  which  stands  the 
neat  little  town  of  Santa  Marta,  embowered 
amidst  the  trees.  We  sighted  the  land  before 
it  was  dark,  but  the  captain  deemed  it  ex- 
pedient to  lay-off  and  await  the  daylight,  ere 
venturing  through  the  narrow  entrance  between 
the  rock  on  which  stands  the  remains  of  the  for- 
tress and  the  mainland.  Issuing  strict  orders, 
coupled  with  a  silver  refresher,  to  my  cabin-boy 
to  call  me  before  daylight,  I  turned  in,  and  was 
soon  in  dreamland;  my  dreams  were  dispelled 
by  a  sudden  shake,  and  the  voice  of  the  faithful 
darkie  boy  screaming  into  my  ear,  '  Hi,  massa, 
him  no  see  fort  if  him  no  tumble  out  and  tumble 
up  pretty  quick.*  Lightly  clad  and  hardly 
awake,  I  rush,  glass  in  hand,  on  deck,  and 
quietly  seat  myself  in  'the  bow  of  the  steamer. 
It  was  just  in  the  grey  of  the  morning ;  not  a 
sound  disturbed  the  deathlike  silence,  save  the 
*  splash-splash '  of  the  slowly-revolving  paddle- 
wheels.  I  could  discern  on  my  right  a  dim  line 
of  trees,  that  looked  as  if  they  grew  from  out  the 
water ;  on  my  left  the  dark  rock,  crowned  with 
its  ruined  fort,  that,  as  the  light  increased  and 
the  rays  of  the  rising  sun  slanted  down  upon  it. 


THE   VOYAGE.  T 

looked  like  a  mass  of  frosted  silver— so  brilliant 
was  the  contrast  to  the  dark  water  and  darker 
woods,  still  in  shadow,  behind  and  around  it. 

Delighted  with  the  singular  beauty  of  the 
scene,  and  wandering,  in  imagination,  far  away 
into  the  vistas  of  the  past,  recalling  scenes 
of  frightful  atrocity  once  enacted  within  the 
dreaded  gates  of  the  buccaneers'  stronghold — 
wondering  too  if  gems  and  gold,  plunder 
wrenched  from  many  a  rich  argosy,  still  lay 
hidden  amidst  the  dust  of  its  crumbling  walls — 
a  sudden  flash,  and  a  jerk  that  sent  me  sprawling 
on  the  deck,  at  once  recalled  my  thoughts  from 
the  past  to  the  present.  Utterly  oblivious  of 
what  had  happened,  as  I  scrambled  on  my  legs, 
a  stifled  laugh  induced  me  to  look  round.  *  Wish 
I  may  never  taste  rum  again,  Cap'en,  if  I  ever  see 
you  a-sittin  on  the  signal-gun,'  said  a  sly-looking 
rascal  in  sailor's  dress.  There  was  a  roguish  leer 
in  his  eye  that  revealed  the  whole  secret.  Seeing 
me  seated  on  the  signal-carronade,  loaded  to  an- 
nounce our  arrival,  was  too  tempting  a  chance  to 
indulge  in  a  practical  joke  for  Jack  to  resist ;  so 
he  quietly  touched  off  the  gun,  without  giving  me 
any  notice.  No  doubt  he  has  had  many  a  hearty 
laugh  at  my  expense  since  then,  when  telling  the 
*  yam '  in  far-away  latitudes.     Our  stay  in  the 


^ 


THE  VOYAGE. 


:it 


hurbour  was  very  brief;  the  mails  and  a  passenger 
or  two  landed,  away  we  steamed  again. 

At  Cartliagena  we  only  lay-off  a  short  time,  to 
land  the  mails,  and  take  on  board  the  strangest  as- 
semblage of  natives  I  ever  saw.  They  were  bound 
for  Colon,  to  sell  the  various  product?  of  their 
farms,  gardens,  and  native  forests.  We  were  about 
half  a  mile  from  the  beach ;  a  good  rolling  swell 
broke,  in  small  waves,  against  the  ship's  sides,  and 
spread  its  foam  far  up  the  shingle  inshore.  Up 
to  their  waists  might  be  seen  the  dusky  forms  of 
the  natives,  launching  long,  ugly,  shallow  canoes, 
dug  from  out  the  solid  wood.  Soon  a  perfect 
fleet  of  them  neared  us,  each  striving  to  be  first 
alongside  ;  as  they  converged,  and  steadily 
packed  together,  into  a  confused  mass,  the  yelling, 
screaming,  and  swearing  in  bad  Spanish,  mixed 
with  some  unknown  tongue,  baffled  all  description. 
Bad  as  the  hubbub  was  when  some  distance 
from  the  steamer,  it  was  ten  times  worse  as  they 
literally  fought  and  struggled  to  get  on  board. 
Those  who  were  to  be  passengers,  in  dread  of 
being  left  behind,  dashed  from  canoe  to  canoe, 
reckless  of  the  rage  of  those  intent  only  on 
selling  their  wares.  Here  one  held  up  a  poor 
little  drenched  and  shivering  monkey,  another  a 
screaming  parroquet,  a  third  a  squirrel ;  others 


THE   VOYAGE. 


fruits,  strings  of  b^ads,  vegetables,  bunches  of 
bananas,  and  cpcoanuts— all  shrieking  at  the 
very  top  of  their  voices,  but  what  they  said  no 
livinff  soul  couhi  i^A\.  Suoti  the  deck  forward 
was  filled  with  its  live  And  dead  freight.  The 
first  turn  of  the  paddlewheel  sent  the  qucrT- 
looking  assemblage  scudding  out  of  the  way,  to 
ply  back  again,  with  their  unsold  wares,  to  dingy 
old  Carthagena. 

As  we  steamed  quietly  along,  I  had  time  to 
examine  the  new  arrivals.  Squatted  in  little 
groups  or  families,  each  group  had  all  its 
property,  piled  or  stowed  in  some  fashion,  amidst 
thera,  consisting  of  bundles  of  all  shapes  and 
sizes,  crockery,  parrots  and  parroquets,  quan- 
tities of  eggs  and  live  poultry,  fruits  such  as 
are  usually  consumed  in  tropical  countries ;  ba- 
nanas, mangoes,  cocoanuts,  water-melons,  bad 
oranges,  and  vegetables ;  but  what  was  most 
valued  and  cared  for,  clearly  the  grand  object 
of  the  visit,  were  numbers  of  gamecocks,,  all 
trimmed^  according  to  the  most  approved  fashion, 
and  tied  by  the  leg,  either  to  the  bedding  or, 
failing  anything  else,  to  the  person  of  the  owner. 
These  Carthagenian  blacks  are  evidently  of 
mixed  descent;  most  likely  a  sprinkling  of 
Spanish  blood  flows  through  their  veins.     The 


10 


THE  VOYAGE. 


i 


i 


...  -'; 


men,  of  small  stature,  are  lithe,  sinewy,  and  ex- 
tremely active ;  the  women  have  a  decided  ten- 
dency to  become  fat ;  one  or  two  of  them  had 
attained  to  such  a  state  of  obesity,  that  walking 
was  next  to  an  impossibility.  The  children  are 
the  most  singular  little  frights  imaginable ; 
guiltless  of  garments,  they  seemed  all  eyes  and 
stomach,  arms  and  legs  being  merely  trifling 
unessential  appendages;  a  singularity  of  form 
that  may,  I  presume,  be  traced  to  the  habit  of 
consuming  such  vast  quantities  of  innutritious 
vegetable  food. 

We  reached  Colon  (or  Aspinwall,  as  the 
Americans  have  named  it)  in  due  course,  and 
landed  about  midday.  The  outfit  being  enor- 
mously heavy,  some  time  had  necessarily  to 
be  occupied  in  landing ;  and  as  the  afternoon 
train  was  about  to  start,  it  was  deemed  the 
wiser  course  to  send  the  men  and  officers 
at  once  to  Panama,  where  Her  Majesty's  ship 
'Havannah'  was  waiting  to  take  us  to  Vancouver 
Island — the  Commissioner  and  myself  remain- 
ing at  Colon,  with  a  sergeant  and  small  working- 
party,  to  bring  on  the  baggage.  All  the 
attendant  miseries  of  unshipping  such  a  hetero- 
geneous medley  of  packages  as  we  had  on  board 
was  finished  at  last,  and  our  equipment  safely 


I  ! 


THE   VOYAGE. 


11 


stowed  away  in  the  goods-vans  of  the  Panama 
Kailway  Company. 

An  invitation  from  the  manager  of  the  railway 
to  the  Commissioner  to  sleep  at  their  messhouse 
was  by  him  gladly  accepted ;  a  favour  not  ex- 
tended to  myself,  so  I  had  to  take  up  my  quarters 
at  the '  Howard  House.'  Now  the  '  Howard  House ' 
was  managed  precisely  on  the  same  plan  as  a  tra- 
velling wild-beast  show  ;  the  entire  attraction  was 
on  the  outside.  The  bar-room,  brilliantly  lighted, 
and  glittering  with  gilt,  glass,  and  gaudy  orna- 
ments, was  open  to  the  street ;  an  array  of  rock- 
ing-chairs, before  the  pillars  supporting  the  ve- 
randah, enabled  the  luxurious  lounger  to  sit 
with  his  heels  higher  than  his  head,  and  in  smoky 
abstraction  contemplate  his  toes.  The  barman, 
all  studs  and  shirt-front,  hardly  deigned  to 
answer  my  request  for  a  bed,  but,  pointing 
to  the  entry-book,  said,  *  Waal,  you'd  better 
sign.'  My  name  duly  inscribed  on  the  page 
of  a  huge  and  particularly  soiled  book,  a  key 
was  handed  me,  adorned  with  a  brass  label, 
attached  to  a  chain  of  like  material,  with 
No.  10  on  it.  '  Guess,  stranger,  I  want  a  dollar — 
and  you  jist  look  here :  there  are  two  beds,  so 
if  anyone  comes  along,  he'll  jist  have  to  room 
with  you.'    This  I  decidedly  objected  to.    '  Waal, 


12 


THE   VOYAGE. 


M 


I  \ 


H' 


can't  help  it  nohow ;  thar  ain't  no  other  room.' 
*  If  I  pay  for  both  beds/  I  replied,  *  surely  I  can 
have  it  all  to  myself?'  This  was  at  length 
agreed  to,  the  money  paid,  and  at  an  early 
hour  I  turned  in,  to  enjoy  a  good  sound  sleep 
ashore. 

Excepting  two  miserable,  hard,  curtainless  beds, 
an  old  rickety  chest  of  drawers,  and  a  couple  oi 
chairs,  the  room  was  destitute  of  furniture  ;  but 
spite  of  all  discomfort,  mosquitos,  and  other  pests, 
felt  if  not  seen  or  heard,  I  fell  fast  asleep,  soon 
to  be  roused  again  by  a  loud  knocking  at  my 
door,  the  sound  of  numerous  feet  scuffling  hur- 
riedly up  and  down  the  passage,  and  a  very  Babel 
of  voices.  Hardly  awake,  my  ideas  were  in  a 
jumbled  sort  of  chaos  as  to  the  cause.  Fire, 
burglars,  riots,  a  house-fight,  were  all  mixed  in 
strange  confusion,  until  an  angry  voice,  that 
appeared  to  come  through  the  speaker's  nose, 
yelled,  rather  than  spoke,  '  Say,  ar  you  agwine 
to  open  this  door?  Our  women  want  them  beds 
for  a  lay-out,  and  jist  mean  to  havin  em,  any- 
how.' '  Ah  !  *  thought  I,  '  they  want  the  spare 
bed  I  have  paid  for.'  Of  course  I  refused — who 
would  not? — and,  dragging  the  old  chest  of 
drawers  against  the  door,  defied  them  to  do 
their  worst. 


i' 


# 


THE   VOYAGE. 


13 


In  the  angry  parley  that  ensued,  I  discovered 
that  a  steamer  had  just  arrived  from  New  York, 
en  route  to  the  new  gold-diggings  in  British 
Columbia,  vnth.  1,500  passengers,  who,  rowdy- 
like, demanded  everything.  Threats  of  adminis- 
tering the  summary  law  of  Judge  Lynch — of 
firing  their  six-shooters  through  the  door,  and 
riddling  me  like  a  rat  in  a  hole — together  with 
sundry  hard  names  (it  is  better  to  imagine  than 
mention),  were  heaped  profusely  on  my  devoted 
head.  As  it  appeared  to  me  quite  as  unsafe  to 
surrender  as  to  remain  in  my  fortress,  I  deter- 
mined on  holding  out  to  the  last. 

Fortunately,  daylight  soon  came,  and  with  it 
the  shrill  whistle  and  clanging  bell,  announcing 
the  departure  of  a  rail  way- train.  Peeping  cau- 
tiously through  the  window,  I  saw,  to  my  intense 
delight,  a  long  train  specially  put  on,  and  the 
rowdies  just  ready  to  start.  I  watched  them 
scrambling  in,  and  as  the  engine  with  its  freight 
dashed  into  the  tropical  jungle,  I  emerged  from 
my  room  and  the  '  Howard  House '  with  all  pos- 
sible speed,  completed  my  toilet  at  the  barber's 
shop,  breakfasted  with  the  Commissioner  at  the 
Company's  messroom,  and  thus  ended  my  night 
in  Colon. 

The  agency  and  mess  establishment  of  the 


14 


THE   VOYAGE. 


h 


' 


i  !l 


Panama  Railway  Company  are  really  delightful 
residences,  overshadowed  by  cocoanut  trees,  and 
surrounded  by  perfect  bijous  of  gardens  en- 
tirely reclaimed  from  the  swamps:  the  papaw, 
the  banana,  blossoming  creeping  plants,  fruit- 
bearing  vines,  and  curious  orchids,  all  growing 
together,  a  wild  tangle  of  loveliness,  yielding 
beauty,  fruits,  and  shade.  The  cool  verandah,  and 
cane-chairs  from  China,  together  with  the  com- 
fortably-furnished interior,  gave  ample  proof  that 
the  products  of  a  tropical  country  may  be  used 
to  good  account,  as  additions  to  our  northern  ideas 
of  a  substantial  home. 

One  of  the  most  singular  flowers  growing  in 
this  pretty  garden  was  an  orchid,  called  by  the 
natives  'Flor  del  Espiritu  Santo,'  or  the  *  Flower 
of  the  Holy  Ghost.'  The  blossom,  white  as 
Parian-marble,  somewhat  resembles  the  tulip  in 
form ;  its  perfume  is  not  unlike  that  of  the  mag- 
nolia, but  more  intense;  neither  its  beauty  nor 
fragrance  begat  for  it  the  high  reverence  in 
which  it  is  held,  but  the  image  of  a  dove  placed 
in  its  centre.  Gathering  the  freshly-opened 
flower,  and  pulling  apart  its  alabaster  petals, 
there  sits  the  dove;  its  slender  pinions  droop 
listlessly  by  its  side,  the  head  inclining  gently 
forward,  as  if  bowed  in  humble  submission,  brings 


THE   VOYAGE. 


15 


the  delicate  beak,  just  blushed  with  carmine,  in 
contact  with  the  sno'wy  breast.  Meekness  and 
innocence  seem  embodied  in  this  singular  freak 
of  nature ;  and  who  can  marvel  that  crafty  priests, 
ever  watchful  for  any  phenomenon  convertible 
into  the  miraculous,  should  have  knelt  before  this 
wondrous  flower,  and  trained  the  minds  of  the 
superstitious  natives  to  accept  the  title  the 
'  Flower  of  the  Holy  Ghost,'  to  gaze  upon  with 
awe  and  reverence,  sanctifying  even  the  rotten 
wood  from  which  it  springs,  and  the  air  laden 
with  its  exquisite  perfume?  But  it  is  the  flower 
alone  I  fear  they  worship;  their  minds  ascend 
not  from  *  nature  up  to  nature's  God ;  *  the  image 
only  is  bowed  down  to,  not  He  who  made  it. 
The  stalks  of  the  plant  are  jointed,  and  attain  a 
height  of  from  six  to  seven  feet,  and  from  each 
joint  spiing  two  lanceolate  leaves;  the  time  of 
flowering  is  in  June  and  July. 

We  were  to  have  a  special  train  (the  cost 
of  crossing  the  isthmus  was  something  enor- 
mous— the  actual  amount  I  do  not  now  re- 
member) ;  and  as  we  were  most  desirous  to  see  as 
much  of  the  country  as  possible,  an  open  goods- 
truck  was  appropriated  to  our  use,  in  which  we 
could  stand,  and  have  a  full  peep  at  everything 
as  we   steamed  along.     Whilst  the  train  was 


16 


THE  VOYAGE. 


i  I. 


}  ;' 


M 


getting  ready,  I  took  a  turn  over  the  Company's 
wharf  and  round  the  town. 

The  Wharf,  built  on  piles  driven  into  the 
coral  reef,  extends  about  a  thousand  feet  in 
length,  and  forty  in  width,  with  a  depth  of 
water  at  its  landing-end  sufficient  to  float  the 
largest  ship.  The  piles  are  from  the  forests  of 
Maine,  and  have  to  be  coppered  above  high- 
water-mark,  to  resist  the  destroying  power 
of  a  boring  wonn  (Teredo  fimbriata),  that 
would  otherwise  destroy  them  in  a  very  few 
months.  The  Freight  Department  is  a  hand- 
some stone  structure,  three  hundred  feet  long  by 
eighty  wide,  through  the  arched  entrance  to 
which  is  a  triple  line  of  rails. 

Man,  it  is  said,  differs  from  all  other  animals, 
in  being  '  a  tool  and  a  road-making  animal,'  the 
truth  of  which  was  well  exemplified  in  the 
curious  assemblage  of  products  collected  from 
all  parts  of  the  world,  and  stowed  in  this 
huge  house,  brought  by  man's  ocean  highways, 
and  awaiting  removal  by  his  iron  roads  and 
horses. 

Ceroons  of  cochineal  and  indigo  from  Guate- 
mala and  San  Salvador,  cocoa  from  E9uador, 
sarsaparilla  from  Nicaragua,  coffee  from  Costa 
Rica,  hides  from  the  North  and  South  Pacific 
coasts,   copper-ore    from    Bolivia,   lincxi    goods 


THE   VOYAGE. 


ir 


from  the  French  and  English  markets,  beef, 
pork,  hard  bread,  cheese  from  the  States,  and 
silks  from  China. 

The  town  of  Colon,  as  everybody  perhaps  does 
not  know,  stands  on  a  small  island  called  Man- 
zanilla,  cut  off  from  the  mainland  by  a  nar- 
row frith  ;  the  entire  island  being  about  one 
square  mile  in  extent,  composed  of  coral  reefs, 
and  only  raised  a  few  feet  above  highwater- 
level.  It  has  no  supply  of  fresh  water  but 
what  is  obtained  during  the  heavy  rains ;  this, 
collected  in  immense  iron  tanks,  that  hold  over 
four  thousand  gallons,  supplies  the  inhabitants 
during  the  dry  seasons. 

The  most  conspicuous  objects  one  meets  with 
in  this  dismal  place  are  flocks  of  turkey-buz- 
zards (useful  inspectors  o^|^ nuisances,  as  they 
do  their  own  work  of  removal),  pigs,  naked  dirty 
little  children  in  legions,  blear-eyed  mangy  curs 
that  do  nothing  but  growl  and  sleep;  together 
with  peddling  darkies,  bummers,  and  loafers 
(I  know  no  other  names  so  expressive  of  this 
species  of  idler  as  these  Transatlantic  ones),  that 
employ  their  time  much  in  the  same  fashion  as 
the  curs.  A  line  of  shops  faces  the  sea,  and  at 
a  little  distance  is  the  '  mingillo,'  or  native  mar- 

VOL.  I.  c 


18 


THE   VOYAGE. 


r ' 


(I I 


ketplace,  a  spot  no  one  would  be  disposed  to 
linger  in  or  visit  a  second  time,  unless  the  nose 
could  be  dispensed  with.  *  Noses  have  they  but 
they  smell  not,'  must  surely  apply  to  the  dwellers 
in  the  marketplace  ;  the  air  is  literally  (and  not 
in  figure  of  speech  only)  laden  with  the  mingled 
fragrance  of  past  and  present  victims,  an  odour 
far  more  potent  than  pleasant.  Surely  ladies 
never  go  to  market  in  Colon ! 

The  train  was  by  this  time  ready  to  take  us 
to  Panama,  and,  with  a  parting  scream,  the  iron 
horse  rushed  into  the  tropical  wilderness.  On 
leaving  Colon,  the  line  winds  its  way  through  a 
deep  cutting  across  a  morass,  and  along  the  right 
bank  of  the  Rio  Chagres ;  glimpses  are  caught 
of  the  river  from  amidst  the  tangled  and  twisted 
i  jliage  that  shuts  ii  in  on  either  side  like  dense 
walls.  From  out  this  leafy  chaos  rise  the  gaunt 
trunks  of  the  mango,  cocoa  nut,  plane,  cieba,  and 
stately  palm.  Plantains,  too,  spread  their  green 
succulent  leaves — sunshades  of  nature's  own  con- 
triving— to  protect  the  tender  growths  that  love 
to  live  beneath  them.  Every  tree  seemed  strang- 
ling in  the  coils  of  trailing  vines  and  climbers  ; 
real  ropes,  pendents,  and  streamers  of  brilliant 
blossoms,  fit  resting-places  for  the  birds  and  but- 
terflies, themselves  like  living  flowers.  Wondrous 


THE  VOYAGE. 


19 


orchids,  grotesque  in  form  and  colouring,  grew 
everywhere,  springing  alike  from  the  living  and 
the  dead ;  for  amidst  this  flood  of  vegetable  life,, 
decay  and  beauty,  like  twin  sisters,  walk  hand- 
in-hand. 

We  stopped  at  Gatun  for  a  short  time,  the 
station  being  close  to  the  little  village  of  bamboo 
huts  thatched  with  palmetto-leaves,  and  only 
remarkable  as  being  the  place  where  the  'bon- 
goes  '  (or  native  boats)  used  to  stop  for  the  tra- 
vellers to  refresh  themselves  ere  the  railroad 
was.  From  here  the  line  skirts  the  bases  of  an 
irregular  series  of  hills  to  cross  the  Rio  Gatun, 
tributary  to  the  Rio  Chagres,  on  a  well-made 
truss  girder-bridge  of  seventy  feet  span ;  passed 
Frijoli,  where  the  fields  of  golden  maize  were 
decked  with  what  looked,  at  a  distance,  like  im- 
mense bouquets  of  scarlet  flowers ;  and  along  the 
banks  of  the  Rio  Chagres,  which  are  here  very- 
deep,  to  cross  it  at  Barbacous  on  a  wrought-iron 
bridge,  six  hundred  and  twenty-five  feet  in  length, 
eighteen  in  breadth,  and  forty  feet  above  the 
surface  of  the  water.  There  are  six  spans,  each 
over  a  hundred  feet ;  iron  floor  girders,  three  feet 
apart,  support  the  rails — the  entire  structure 
resting  on  five  piers  and  two  abutments. 

c2 


.'J  I 


I  i. 
!  ft 


!l 


I  I! 


90 


THE   VOYAGE. 


After  crossing  the  river,  the  country  becomes 
open,  and  large  patches  of  rich  land  are  seen 
under  a  rude  kind  of  cultivation,  until  the 
native  town  of  Gorgona  is  reached,  where,  in 
old  days,  boats  were  exchanged  for  horses  and 
mules,  on  the  overland  route. 

Leaving  the  course  of  the  river,  the  line 
2)asses  through  deep  clay  banks  and  rocky  cut- 
tings, suddenly  emerging  on  the  green  meadow- 
lands  surrounding  Matuchin.  I  never  gazed  on 
a  more  exquisite  panorama.  Dotting  the  fore- 
ground was  a  pretty  native  village ;  to  tue  left 
the  Chagres,  and  its  tributary  the  Rio  Obispo; 
on  the  right  a  group  of  conical  hills,  so  clothed 
with  vegetation  that  it  was  impossible  to  imagine 
what  the  land  would  look  like  if  the  trees  were 
cut  away.  During  our  stay  at  this  station  we 
were  r-egularly  beset ;  immerous  vendors  of  native 
merchandise  crowded  into  and  round  about  the 
open  van ;  grey-haired  old  men,  and  women, 
pushed  trays  under  our  very  noses,  covered  with 
filthy  pastry,  gingerbread,  sweetstuff,  and  other 
like  abominations ;  whilst  little  black  urchins  sat 
like  imps  on  the  rails  of  the  truck,  each  with 
some  live  captive  for  sale — monkey,  squirrel, 
parrot,  or  other  bright-plumaged  bird. 

Following  the  valley  of  the   Obispo,  which 


THE   VOYAGE. 


21 


r,   the  line 


river  is  crossed  twice  within  a  mile  on  iron 
bridges,  we  ascend  gradually  (the  gradient  being 
about  sixty  feet  in  the  mile)  to  reach  the  water- 
shed, over  which  the  descent  commences  to 
the  Pacific.  About  a  mile  from  the  summit 
the  line  winds  through  a  huge  pile  of  basaltic 
columns,  that  look  as  if  some  Titan  force  had 
hurled  them  into  the  air,  and  let  them  fall  again 
one  over  the  other,  like  a  mass  of  driftwood 
piles  itself  in  a  North  American  river.  Below, 
the  Rio  Grande  may  be  seen,  a  mere  brawling 
burn  ;  a  short  distance  through  thick  woods, 
and  we  are  at  Paraiso ;  as  unlike  one's  ideal 
of  paradise  as  Cremorne  Gardens  or  Ratcliff 
Highway.  Again  we  reach  the  swampy  low- 
lands with  their  dense  growths;  ahead,  and 
looming  high  in  the  glowing  atmosphere,  stands 
Mount  Ancon,  whose  southern  base  is  bathed 
by  the  blue  waters  of  the  Pacific ;  on  the  left, 
Cerro-de-los-Buccaneros,  or  the  Hill  of  the  Buc- 
caneers, from  whose  summit  the  terrible  Morgan 
first  looked  on  old  Panama  in  the  year  1670. 
"VVe  rattle  past  San  Pedro  Miguel  and  Caimi- 
tillo,  small  tidal  tributaries  to  the  Rio  Grande, 
scream  through  the  Rio  Grande  Station,  sweep 
round  the  base  of  Mount  Ancon ;  and  before 
us  are  the  tall  spires  of  the  cathedral,  the  long 


THE  VOYAGK. 


metal  roofing  of  the  terminus,  and  the  quiet 
waters  of  tlie  Pacific. 

Captain  Harvey,  R.N.,  then  in  command  of 
Her  ^lajesty's  ship  *  Havannoh,'  met  us  at  the 
terminus ;  the  ship's  boats  were  in  waiting  to 
take  both  men  and  baggage  on  board,  so  that  I 
saw  but  Mttle  of  Panama.  My  old  foes  (that 
waged  war  against  me  at  Colon),  the  gold- 
seekers,  were  assembled  on  the  wharf,  awaiting 
the  small  tugboat  to  take  them  off  to  the  larger 
steamer  anchored  in  the  offing.  To  judge  from 
appearances,  there  were  amongst  them  a  goodly 
sprinkling  that  would  have  deemed  lynching  or 
riddling  a  Britisher,  a  capital  joke. 

A  tropical  sun  soon  makes  one  thirsty.  I 
wanted  '  a  drink,'  and  for  the  first  time  tasted 
iced  cocoanut-milk  ;  never  in  my  life  have  I 
ever  drunk  anything  half  as  delicious.  Don't 
imagine  that,  in  the  least  degree,  it  resembles 
the  small  teacupful  of  sweet  insipid  stuff  drib- 
bled out  from  the  cocoanut  as  we  buy  it  here  in 
England.  What  we  eat  as  kernel  is  liquid  in 
the  young  nut,  and  the  outer  husk  soft  enough 
to  push  your  thumb  through.  Surely  the  cocoa- 
nut  palm  must  have  been  specially  designed  for 
the  dwellers  in  the  tropical  world !  It  supplies 
everything  uncivilised  man  can  possibly  need,  to 


THE   VOYAGE. 


23 


build  his  ships,  rig,  paddlo,  and  sail  thorn; 
from  its  products,  too,  he  can  make  his  houses, 
and  obtain  food,  drink,  clothing,  and  culinary 
utensils.  Strictly  littond  in  its  habits,  the  cocoa- 
palm  loves  1  >  loll  over  the  sea,  and  let  the  frothy 
ripple  wash  its  rootlets.  This  also  looks  like 
another  link  in  the  chain  of  Divine  intentions. 
The  nuts  necessarily  fall  into  the  sea — winds  and 
currents  carry  them  to  coral  reefs,  or  strand 
them  on  desert  shores,  there  to  grow,  and,  by  a 
sequence  of  wondrously-ordered  events,  in  time 
make  it  habitable  for  man.  The  '  Havannah ' 
dropped  down  to  the  beautiful  island  of  Tobago, 
to  take  in  water  ere  she  sailed  for  Vancouver 
Island. 

As  we  crossed  the  Bay  of  Panama  (which  is, 
I  believe,  about  135  miles  wide,  running  inland 
120),  pelicans,  far  too  numerous  to  count,  were 
floating  high  in  the  air,  some  of  them  mere 
specks.  The  species  Pelecanus  fuscus  (the  brown 
pelican)  is  a  permanent  resident  on  the  southern 
coasts  of  America,  frequenting  in  great  numbers 
the  shores  of  the  Gulf  of  Mexico,  California,  the 
Bay  of  Panama,  and  other  sheltered  inlets.  They 
frequently  build  in  the  trees,  although  the  nest  is 
quite  as  often  placed  on  the  ground,  even  when 
the  former  are  close  at  hand.     My  acquaintance 


24 


THE   VOYAGE. 


with  the  pelicans  in  the  Zoological  Gardens  in  the 
Regent's  Park  had  given  me  an  idea  of  clumsi- 
ness, and  to  see  them  spooning  the  fish  from  out 
their  pond  is  certainly  no  indication  of  being 
adepts  at  fishing.  I  know  no  prettier  sight  than 
to  watch  the  brown  pelican  fishing  in  the  Bay  of 
Panama ;  no  awkwardness  there,  every  movement 
easy  and  graceful.  Soaring  high  in  the  lurid  at- 
mosphere, to  the  eye  little  more  than  a  tiny  dark 
spot,  suddenly  down  comes  the  bird  as  if  hurled 
from  the  clouds ;  plunging  in  head-first,  its  sharp 
beak  cleaves  the  water  like  a  wedge ;  a  fish  seized 
is  at  once  pouched ;  and,  rising  without  any  ap- 
parent effbrt  from  the  sea,  it  soars  off^  again,  to 
look  out  for  another  chance.  Should  the  fish  be 
missed,  an  event  that  does  not  often  happen,  the 
bird  sits  quietly  on  the  water,  and  stares  round 
in  stupid  astonishment. 

We  remained  several  days  at  Tobago  ;  and  as 
we  rode  at  anchor  in  the  deep  roadstead,  I  could 
have  easily  pitched  a  penny  into  the  groves  of 
tamarind  and  orange-trees,  that  grew  on  the  very 
beach.  From  the  sea-line  to  the  summit  of  the 
island,  which  is  quite  a  thousand  feet  in  altitude, 
the  hills  rise  in  terraces,  but  so  densely  clothed 
with  cocoa-nut,  banana,  tamarind,  orange,  and 


THE   VOYAGE. 


25 


other  tropical  trees,  that  one  hardly  credits  the 
existence  of  terraces,  or  that  hill  and  valley  are 
hid  beneath  the  unbroken  surface  of  green.  A 
little  village  lies  hid  in  a  palm-grove  at  the  base 
of  the  hill,  and  in  the  ravine  behind  it  bubbles 
up  the  spring  of  pure  fresh  water,  that  never 
fails,  and  from  which  all  vessels  touching  at 
Panama  obtain  their  supply. 

Mr.  Baurman,  a  geologist,  accompanied  me  on 
a  ramble  through  its  woods  and  along  the  sea- 
coast.  We  did  nothinoj  to  distin;]^uish  ourselves 
save  getting  frightfully  hot,  being  wellnigh 
famished  >\'ith  thirst  (for  we  were  far  away  from 
the  water),  and  although  I  fired  at  the  cocoanuts 
in  the  hope  of  bringing  one  do'wn,  only  succeeded 
in  making  holes  in  them  and  letting  out  the 
much-coveted  milk,  that  fell  on  us  like  a  shower 
of  rain ;  shooting  a  few  doves  amongst  the 
l^ineapples,  and  a  turkey-buzzard  on  the  summit 
— a  frightful  crime  in  Tobago,  of  which,  at  the 
time,  I  was  in  happy  ignorance ;  but,  fortunately 
for  me,  Baurman  carried  the  bird,  and  was 
deemed,  for  his  good  nature,  the  greater  culprit. 
The  most  singular  sight  we  stumbled  on  was  a 
bull,  saddled  and  bridled  in  equine  fashion,  with 
a  black  man  riding  on  his  back.     Tauro  might 


36 


THE   VOYAGE. 


i( 


have  been  a  good  hack,  but  he  certamly  did  not 
look  so  as  he  waddled  lazily  along  -with  his  sable 
rider. 

The  inhabitants,  with  few  exceptions,  are 
blacks.  There  was  one  girl  (the  property  of  as 
repulsive  an  old  demon  as  one  could  well  see) 
perfectly  blonde,  fair  even  to  paleness,  with  soft 
blue  eyes  and  long  golden  hair,  that  hung  in 
wavy  ripples  do^wn  to  her  waist — her  feet  and 
hands  delicately  small,  and  a  figure  Venus  might 
have  envied.  Where  she  came  from  no  one 
knew  :  one  might  have  supposed  her  the  de- 
scendant of  some  Viking,  if  Vikings  had  ever 
cruised  in  the  Pacific.  Perhaps  her  owner  was 
a  '  Black  Pirate,'  who  stole  the  damsel,  and 
knifed  her  fiiends ;  not  bad  material  for  a 
sensation  story — '  The  Fair  Captive  of  Tobago.* 

The  view  from  the  summit  was  exceedingly 
lovely.  Behind,  and  to  the  right  and  left,  the 
dark-green  slope  looked  as  if  one  could  have 
slid  into  the  vessels  at  their  anchorage ;  before, 
a  vertical  wall  of  rock  a  thousand  feet  from 
the  sea.  It  looked  to  me  as  if  the  island 
had  been  broken  in  two  in  the  centre,  and 
that  one-half  had  sunk  into  the  water  and  dis- 
appeared ;  the  air  quivered  even  at  this  height, 
as  it  does  over  a  limekiln ;  not  a  leaf  stirred — 


THE   VOYAGE. 


£7 


and 


the  intensely  blue  sea  was  unrippled  far  as  eye 
could  reach ;  the  very  birds  and  insects,  too 
hot  to  fly,  sat  panting  under  the  shadow  of  the 
leaves.  We  gathered  a  pineapple,  but  it  tasted 
hot,  as  if  half-roasted. 

I  am  not  favourably  impressed  with  the  honesty 
of  the  islanders  that  do  the  washing,  or  rather 
that  do  not  do  it.  Following  the  example  of 
the  officers  of  the  *  Havannah,'  I  delivered  my 
bag  of  clothes,  the  accumulation  since  leaving 
England,  to  the  washer,  who  promised,  as  only 
a  black  washerman  will  promise,  to  have  it  on 
board  before  we  sailed :  he  kept  his  word,  for  he 
came  when  the  ship  was  under  weigh,  had  his 
mon'y,  and  with  bows,  and  prayers  for  my  wel- 
fare in  this  world,  vanished  over  the  side.  We 
were  well  out  to  sea  when  I  looked  at  my  bag ; 
imagine  my  wrath  at  finding  everything  just  as 
I  had  given  it.  It  was  lucky  for  the  rascal 
he  was  out  of  reach,  and  perhaps  quite  as  well  for 
me ;  a  dollar  (4s.)  a  dozen  to  carry  one's  clothes 
ashore,  most  likely  to  wear,  and  bring  back 
again  dirtier  than  it  went,  would  enrage  the 
meekest  saint ! 

The  voyage  in  the '  Havannah '  from  Panama  to 
Vancouver  Island  was  a  long  and  wearisome 
one.     We  left  Tobago  on  June  4,  and  entered 


28 


THE   VOYAGE. 


the  Straits  of  Juan  de  Feuca  on  July  12.  Re- 
ference to  the  track-chart  shows  how  we  idled 
and  idled  along  on  the  sea,  sauntering,  rather 
than  sailing ;  with  a  blazing  sun  right  over 
the  masthead,  the  heat  was  intolerable,  and  at- 
tended with  a  depressing  languor,  that  forbade 
all  energy,  and  fairly  melted  one  in  body  and 
mind.  The  only  land  sighted  was  a  very  distant 
view  of  the  Gallopagos  Islands,  a  mere  black  look- 
ing spot  on  an  interminable  surface  of  blue.  This 
group  of  volcanic  islands,  so  strangely  isolated, 
might  have  been  a  monster  fish,  a  phantom  ship, 
or  even  the  great  sea-serpent,  for  anything  that 
could  be  definitely  made  out,  even  aided  by  a 
ship's  telescope. 

We  caught  great  numbers  of  dolphins  ( Cory- 
phcena  hippuris)^  which  are  far  more  lovely  to 
the  eye  than  agreeable  to  the  palate,  in  my  esti- 
mation. This  fish,  usually  from  four  to  five  feet 
in  length,  is  built  for  rapid  passage  through  the 
water :  the  tail,  forked  like  horns,  together  with 
the  long  dorsal  fin,  reaching  from  head  to  tail, 
enables  it  to  turn  with  an  ease  and  celerity 
during  even  its  swiftest  transit  through  the  sea. 
All  who  have  written  (in  prose  or  poetry)  about 
the  dolphin  have  attempted  a  description  of  its 
marvellous  colouring :  to  convey,  by  word-paint- 


THE   VOYAGE. 


29 


ing,  the  slightest  idea  of  the  changing,  flashing, 
glowing  radiance  that  plays  around  and  upon 
this  fish,  when  fresh  from  the  ocean,  is  as  impos- 
sible as  to  describe  the  colours  of  the  Aurora,  or 
the  phosphorescence  of  the  tropical  seas ;  it  must 
be  witnessed  to  be  realised  in  all  its  magnifi- 
Flying-fish  are  its  favourite  food,  and 


cence. 


these  the  dolphins  course  as  greyhounds  course 
hares ;  what  is  called  '  flying '  being  merely  an  ex- 
tended leap,  aided  bj''  the  immensely-elongated 
pectoral  fins,  made  in  sheer  desperation  to  es- 
cape the  voracious  sea-hounds  so  hotly  pursuing 
them. 

In  reference  to  these  same  flying-fish,  the 
species  washed  on  board  the  '  Parana '  by  the 
waves  of  the  turbulent  Atlantic,  and  that  found 
their  way  into  the  stomach  of  a  dolphin  of  ter- 
restrial habits,  was  Exocetus  exiliens.  I  could 
see  nothing  of  its  movements,  as  the  sea  simply 
washed  it  into  the  sponsons,  or  left  it  floundering 
on  the  deck.  Its  general  appearance  was  exactly 
like  a  newly-caught  herring :  the  scales,  thin  and 
rounded,  easily  detached,  and  adhered  to  the 
hand;  the  back  a  light  steel-blue,  with  greenish 
reflections,  shading  into  silvery  whiteness  on  the 
sides  ;  the  pectoral  fins  reached  quite  to  the  tail, 
and  were  shaped  like  the  wings  of  a  swift ;  the 


30 


THE   VOYAGE. 


») 


ti 


* 


dorsal  and  anal  fins  are  opposite  each  other,  and 
placed  near  the  tail,  which  is  deeply  but  un- 
evenly forked — the  lower  limb  being  much  the 
longer;  the  ventral  fins,  which  are  posterior  to 
the  middle  of  the  body,  are  unusually  long  and 
strongly  rayed. 

But  in  the  uncomfortably  calm  Pacific,  where 
I  watched  the  flying-fish  every  day,  and  often  all 
day  long,  I  had  ample  opportunity  to  observe  its 
so-called  '  flying.'  The  species  that  tenant  the 
two  oceans  are  very  nearly  allied,  Exocetus  voli- 
tans  being  the  one  common  to  the  Pacific ;  but  it 
is  of  habits  I  wish  to  treat,  not  of  minute  specific 
distinctions — that  can  be  settle '  in  the  studio. 
It  seems  to  me  that  the  distance  traversed  when 
the  fish  leaps  from  the  sea,  and  the  length  of 
time  it  remains  out  of  the  water,  are  much  over- 
estimated in  books  on  Natural  History.  Ten  or 
twelve  seconds  may  be  taken  as  the  average  time 
of  its  flight,  and  eighty  yards  the  maximum 
distance  traversed  when  the  water  is  perfectly 
tranquil ;  if  aided  by  a  breeze  of  wind,  or  pro- 
pelled from  the  crest  of  a  breaker,  the  distance 
accomplished  would  necessarily  be  greater;  but 
the  fins  have  no  power  to  raise  the  fish  a  single 
inch  above  the  level  of  its  leap,  and  simply  aid  in 
its  support,  as  the  extended  skin  of  the  flying- 


THE   VOYAGE. 


81 


but 


squirrel  bears  it  up  in  its  spring  from  bough  to 
bough.  I  have  never  seen  the  fins  vibrated  or 
flapped,  as  all  wings  invariably  are,  but,  stiiF 
and  rigid,  are  extended  and  still,  until  the  fish 
plunges  into  the  sea.  Numbers,  beyond  all  com- 
putation, were  constantly  seen  by  us  in  the  air 
together,  when  chased  by  predatory  fish.  The 
flying-fish,  as  a  rule,  is  about  twelve  inches  in 
length. 

We  caught  several  sharks,  and  an  immense 
hammerhead  {Zygana  vulgaris)^  that  we  could 
not  catch,  followed  us  for  a  very  long  time.  As 
I  looked  at  him  sailing  along  under  the  stem 
of  the  ship,  I  was  at  a  loss  to  imagine  for  what 
purpose  such  a  head  was  given  to  it;  exactly  like 
an  immense  caulking-hammer,  with  an  eye  in 
each  end;  in  every  other  detail  of  shape,  and  in 
habits  of  '''oracity  too,  as  far  as  I  know,  it  re- 
sembles the  ordinary  sharks.  That  it  is  so  con- 
structed to  serve  some  special  purpose  in  its 
economy  there  can  be  no  doubt,  but  what  that 
may  be,  remains  to  be  discovered.  We  fished 
for  albatross  with  marked  success,  to  be  de- 
voured by  both  men  and  officers,  stuffed  as  a 
goose ;  the  rag  from  off  the  bung  of  a  cask  of 
whale-oil,  rubbed  with  an  onion  and  chewed, 
would  be  mildly  flavoured  ao  compared  to  the 


8S 


THE   VOYAGE. 


flesh  of  this  sea-bird.  Petrels  were  ever  -svith  us, 
like  flights  of  martins  round  the  habitations  of 
man ;  always  on  the  wing,  never  resting,  or  roost- 
ing either,  as  far  as  I  could  see ;  watch  them  in 
their  easy  graceful  flight,  till  the  last  lingering  ray 
of  light  sank  away  beneath  the  watery  horizon ; 
and,  as  night  wrapped  them  in  her  sable  mantle, 
they  were  still  on  the  wing.  Be  on  deck  as  the 
first  blush  of  early  dawn  crept  drowsily  over  the 
sleeping  sea,  and  with  the  rosy  light  came  the 
petrels,  still  flying,  as  they  had  vanished  in  the 
darkness.  We  tried  to  catch  them  by  loosing 
long  threads  over  the  stern,  and  tangling  them, 
like  human  spiders;  we  did  trap  one,  but  the 
sailors  were  mutinous  at  such  unheard-of  bar- 
barity ;  injuring  the  chickens  of  '  Mother  Carey  ' 
was  an  ofifence  not  to  be  tolerated,  even  in  a 
zealous  naturalist ;  so,  at  the  captain's  request, 
the  cotton  webs  were  abandoned.  The  one  taken 
was  the  black  stormy  petrel,  Thalassidroma 
melania  (C.Buonaparte)  :  upper  plumage  entirely 
black  (as  are  the  wing- coverts), below  feluginous  ; 
tail  deeply  forked,  and  very  short. 

It  is  a  well-marked  species,  and  readily  dis- 
tinguished from  all  its  kindred  by  the  absence 
of  white  on  the  rump  and  wing-coverts.  We 
caught  a  huge  turtle  with  a  hook  and  line:  a 


THE   VOYAGE. 


33 


dis- 


number  of  lines  were  hanging  from  the  bow,  the 
ship  almost  still,  when  there  was  a  tremendous 
hue-and-cry  that  a  turtle  was  hooked.  To  hold 
him  with  the  line  would  have  been  an  utter 
impossibility — he  could  have  smashed  it  like  pack- 
thread. The  barbed  trident  called  *  a  grains  * 
was  brought  into  immediate  requisition,  and  from 
the  '  dolphin-striker '  an  experienced  hand  sent 
it  crashing  through  the  turtle's  armour-plates  ;  a 
boat  was  lowered,  tackle  rigged,  and  the  ponder- 
ous reptile  safely  deposited  on  the  deck.  The 
species  I  was  unable  to  determine,  for  I  had 
barely  time  to  seize  the  sucking-fish  {Remora) 
that  were  clinging  to  its  shell  in  clusters,  and 
observe  the  curious  beings,  parasitic  and  others, 
that  evidently  used  the  turtle  as  a  living  raft,  on 
which  to  cruise  about,  ere  the  remorseless  cook, 
armed  with  knife,  axe,  and  saw,  hewed  and 
hacked  the  monster,  I  could  have  devoted  days 
to  examine,  into  junks  for  the  pot.  The  harvest 
gleaned  from  his  shell  I  shall  speak  of  in  the 
chapter  on  Fishes. 

All  our  fresh  provisions  had  long  been  expen- 
ded, and  water  reduced  to  a  very  small  supply 
per  diem,  when  on  the  11th  of  July,  the  seventieth 
day  at  sea,  '  land  on  the  starboard  bow '  was  am 

VOL.  I.  D 


34 


THE   VOYAGE. 


announcement  welcome  to  all.  Being  near  dark, 
it  was  deemed  advisable  to  stand  off  until  morn- 
ing, and  enter  the  Straits  of  Juan  de  Feuca  with 
a  good  light.  It  appeared  a  longer  night  than 
I  ever  remember,  so  impatient  was  I  once  more 
to  see  and  tread  on  terra  jirma\  what  in  the 
mist  and  distance  seemed  but  a  dark  undefined 
shadow,  was  in  reality  the  lighthouse,  standing 
grey  and  lonely  on  the  wild  wave-lashed  rocks 
of  Cape  Flattery.  The  wind  was  dead  aft,  and 
blowing  freshly,  as  we  dashed  up  the  straits, 
faster  far  than  we  had  ever  gone  during  the  long 
tedious  voyage. 

Nowhere  is  this  curious  inlet  more  than  twelve 
miles  in  width :  on  the  right,  seen  over  an  ocean 
of  dark-green  forest,  sloping  to  the  shore,  were 
the  snowy  summits  of  the  Olympian  range  of 
mountains ;  on  the  left  the  more  rounded  and 
lower  metamorphic  hills,  quite  as  densely  tim- 
bered, but  broken  along  the  coast-line  into  open 
glades  and  grassy  slopes,  like  well-kept  lawns, 
reaching  to  the  water-line.  About  sixty  miles 
from  the  entrance  we  round  the  dreaded  *  race 
rocks,'  and  with  scarce  time  for  even  a  hasty 
look  at  the  new  land,  glide  round  a  rocky  point, 
on  which  is  a  house,  and  people  anxiously  watch- 
ing our  movements.     The  sails  are  clewed  up ; 


THE   VOYAGE. 


•4 


orders  are  rapidly  given,  and  as  quickly  exe- 
cuted. A  heavy  plunging  splash  and  the  rattle 
of  the  massive  cable,  as  it  crashes  through  the 
hawse-holes,  proclaim  our  anchorage  in  Esqui- 
malt  Harbour,  and  safe  arrival  at  Vancouver 
Island. 


I , 


V  2 


M       FIUST   CAMP   OF   BOUNDARY   COMMISSION. 


CHAPTER  II. 


VICTORIA — THE  salmon:  its  haunts  and  habits. 

We  were  landed,  soon  after  our  arrival,  on  a  rocky 
point  of  land  with  a  snug  sheltered  bay  on  each 
side ;  an  easy  slope  led  up  to  the  frame  of  a  house, 
destined  to  be  our  headquarters;  a  pretty  spot, 
very  Englishlike  in  its  general  features,  but  in 
the  rough  clothing  of  uncultivated  nature.  Tents 
were  pitched,  the  baggage  carried  safely  up  and 
stowed  away,  and  the  first  camp  of  the  Boundary 
Commission  established  in  this  new  land  of 
promise. 

Our  first  walk  to  Victoria,  now  the  thriving 
capital  of  Vancouver  Island,  was  made  on  the 
evening  of  our  landing.  The  gold-fever  was 
just  beginning  to  rage  fast  and  furiously,  and 
all  classes,  from  every  countiy,  were  pouring  in 
— a  very  torrent  of  gold-hunters.  Not  that  gold- 
hunter  means  only  he  that  digs  and  washes  the 
yellow  ore  from  out  Nature's  treasury,  but  in- 
cludes a  herd  of  parasites,  that  sap  the  gains  of 
the  honest  digger;  tempting  him  to  gamble,  drink 


GOLD-IIUNTERS. 


poison  (miscalled  whisky),  nnd  purchase  trashy 
trumpery,  made,  like  Pindar's  razors,  only  to  sell ; 
and  thus  fool  away  his  wealth ;  '  earned  like  a 
horse,  squandered  like  an  ass ! '  Both  species  were 
well  represented,  in  what  could  not,  in  any  sense 
of  the  word,  as  yet  be  called  a  town. 

The  old  trading-post  of  the  Hudson's  Bay  Com- 
pany, the  governor's  house,  and  a  few  scattered 
residences  of  the  chief  traders  and  other  employ<5s 
of  the  Company,  alone  represented  the  per- 
manent dwellings.  But  in  all  directions  were 
canvas  tents,  from  the  white  strip  stretched 
over  a  ridge-pole,  and  pegged  to  the  ground 
(affording  just  room  enough  for  two  to  crawl  in 
and  sleep),  to  the  great  canvas  store,  a  blaze  of 
light,  redolent  of  cigars,  smashes,  cobblers,  and 
cocktails.  The  rattle  of  the  dice-box,  the  dron- 
ing invitation  of  the  keepers  of  the  monte- tables, 
the  discordant  sounds  of  badly-played  instru- 
ments, angr  y  words,  oaths  too  terrible  to  name, 
roystering  songs  with  noisy  refrains,  were  all 
signs  significant  of  the  golden  talisman  that 
met  me  on  every  side,  as  I  elbowed  my  way 
amidst  the  unkempt  throng,  that  were  awaiting 
means  of  conveyance  to  take  them  to  the  auri- 
ferous bars  of  the  far-famed  Fraser  river.  Along 
the  side  of  the  harbour,  wherever  advantageous 


38 


VICTORIA   AS   IT   WAS. 


water-sites  were  obtainable,  the  noise  of  busy  in- 
dustry sounded  pleasantly  in  contrast  to  the 
mingled  hubbub  I  had  just  left.  Higher  up  the 
slope,  substantial  stores  were  being  rapidly  built. 
Out  of  these  germs  grew  the  present  town  the 
capital  of  the  island,  that  we  shall  often  have  to 
visit  in  the  course  of  this  narrative. 

With  the  island,  and  its  history  as  a  colony,  I 
have  but  little  to  do.  Other  and  more  able 
writers  have  said  all  that  need  or  can  be  told 
about  its  commerce,  agriculture,  politics,  and 
progress.  The  prairie,  forest,  lake,  river,  sea, 
estuary,  and  rocky  inlet  are  my  domains;  to 
their  tenants  I  have  to  introduce  you,  guide 
you  to  their  homes  and  haunts,  and  bring  you 
face  to  face,  in  imagination,  with  the  zoological 
colony  of  the  Far  North-west. 

First,  of  the  island.  Vancouver  Island  is  situ- 
ated between  the  parallels  of  48°  20"  and  51° 
N.  lat.,  and  in  from  123°*to  128°  W.  long— its 
shape,  oblong;  length,  300  miles;  its  breadth, 
varying  at  diiFerent  points,  may  be  taken  at  an 
average  of  from  35  to  50  miles.  The  island  may 
be  characterised  as  an  isolated  ridge  of  moun- 
tains, which  attain,  at  their  greatest  elevation,  an 
altitude  of  about  6,000  feet.  There  are  no  navi- 
gable rivers,  but  numerous  mountain-streams, 


VANCOUVER  ISLAND. 


89 


that,  as  a  rule,  have  a  rapid  descent,  and  empty 
into  inlets  or  arms  of  the  sea,  everywhere  in- 
tersecting the  coast-line,  east  and  west  of  the 
watershed.  Lakes,  large  and  small,  are  common, 
from  the  summit  of  the  hills  to  the  flat  gravel 
lands  near  the  coast;  dense  pine-forests  clothe 
these  hills  to  their  very  tops.  On  the  open 
lands,  misnamed  prairies,  the  scrub-oak  (  Quercus 
garryana)  grows  so  gnarled  and  contorted  that 
stock,  branch,  twig,  and  even  the  very  leaves 
look  as  if  they  suffered  from  perpetual  cramp. 
Alder,  willow,  black  birch,  and  cottonwood  fill 
the  hollows. 

The  climate  of  the  island  is  milder  and  more 
equable  than  it  is  on  the  adjoining  continent, 
and  closely  approximates  to  that  of  Great  Britain. 

The  shortest  road  to  an  Englishman's  heart, 
says  the  adage,  is  down  his  throat;  and  being  a 
road  a  good  deal  travelled,  is  it  to  be  wondered 
at  if  fish  (especially  such  as  are  welcome  tra- 
vellers down  this  same  *  red  lane ')  should  have 
been  the  first  objects  of  practical  Natural  History 
to  which  the  naturalist,  fresh  from  the  '  old  coun- 
try' and  seventy-two  days'  imprisonment  on 
board-ship,  turned  his  attention?  The  first  fish 
I  saw  and  tasted  was  salmon ;  and  to  the  Salmon 
and  its  haunts  I  at  once  introduce  you. 


40 


FISH   HARVESTING. 


SALMO  QUINNAT. 

Richardson,  F.  B.  A.,  *  Fishes,'  p.  219  ;  Common 
Salmon,  Lewis  and  Clark.  Indian  Names:  at 
Chinook  Point,  mouth  of  the  Columbia,  Quinnat; 
at  the  Kettle  Falls,  See-met-leek;  by  the  Nes- 
quallys,  Satsup. 

Specific  Characters. — Head,  just  one-fourth 
of  the  entire  length,  measured  from  the  tip  of  the 
nose  to  where  the  scales  terminate  at  the  tail; 
the  operculum  veiy  much  rounded,  and  usually 
with  several  spiny  projections  on  the  outer  mar- 
gin ;  preoperculum  rounded  much  the  same,  but 
wanting  the  serrated  margin;  branchial  rays, 
fourteen.  Cleft  of  the  mouth  posterior  to  the  eye, 
which  is  a  dark  copper- colour  in  the  freshly-  aught 
fish.  The  teeth  are  large  and  strong  in  both 
jaws,  but  they  vary  in  number  according  to  the 
age,  sex,  and  condition  of  the  salmon ;  about  ten 
in  each  limb  of  the  jaws  may  be  taken  as  the  usual 
average  in  an  adult  fish.  Those  on  the  tongue 
are  smaller,  and  placed  in  two  rows,  six  in  each 
row.  The  vomerine  and  palatine  teeth  are  again 
much  smaller  and  weaker  than  any  of  the  others, 
corresponding  to  such  as  stud  the  gullet. 

Fresh  from  the  water,  the  colours  in  a  healthy 
fish  are  particularly  marked  and  bright,  but 
change  rapidly  after  death.     The  back,  through 


SALMON. 


41 


its  entire  length,  is  a  light  steel-blue;  shading 
off  on  the  sides  to  a  lighter  tint,  that  merges  by 
imperceptible  gradations  through  grey  to  silvery- 
white  on  the  belly ;  blushed  over  with  pink,  that 
disappears  soon  after  death.  Back,  above  the 
well-defined  lateral  line,  thickly  spotted  with 
black,  the  spots  being  like  stars  with  rays  of 
irregular  length ;  but  I  have  very  often  seen  the 
spots  extending  beyond  the  lateral  line,  and  even 
on  the  white  of  the  belly.  Opercula,  all  the  fins 
and  the  tail  more  or  less  spotted,  and  of  a  pinkish 
hue,  the  anal  and  pectoral  fins  tipped  with 
black.  The  general  appearance  of  this  salmon  is 
thu'  of  being  very  thick  for  its  length,  the  dorsal 
O':  .  slightly  arched,  forming  almost  a  notch 
witn  the  .tail.  * 


Soon  after  our  commencing  work,  I  was  en- 
camped for  many  months  on  the  banks  of  the 
Chilukweyuk  river,  a  tributary  to  the  Eraser, 
having  a  short  but  rapid  course  through  a  rocky 
valley. 

In  June  and  July  salmon  ascend  this  stream 
in  incredible  numbers,  filing  off  as  they  work 
upciirrent  into  every  rivulet,  filling  even  pools 
left  on  the  prairies  and  flats  by  the  receding 
floods. 


49 


FISH   HARVESTING. 


I 


About  a  mile  from  my  camp  was  a  large  patch 
of  pebbly  ground,  dry  even  at  the  highest 
floods,  through  which  a  shallow  stream  found  its 
way  into  the  larger  river.  Though  barely  of 
sufficient  depth  to  cover  an  ordinary-sized  sal- 
mon, yet  I  have  seen  that  stream  so  filled,  that 
fish  pushf;d  one  another  out  of  the  water  high- 
and-dry  upon  the  pebbles.  Each,  with  its  head 
up-stream,  struggled,  fought,  and  scuffled  for 
precedence.  With  one's  hands  only,  or,  more 
easily,  by  employing  a  gaff  or  a  crook-stick, 
tons  of  salmon  could  have  been  procured  by  the 
simple  process  of  hooking  them  out. 

It  seems  to  me  that  thousands  of  the  salmon 
ascending  these  small  mountain- streams  never 
can  spawn  from  sheer  want  of  room,  or,  if  they 
do,  it  must  be  under  most  unfavourable  circum- 
stances. At  the  end  of  the  pebble-stream  was  a 
waterfall,  beyond  which  no  fish  could  by  any 
possibility  pass.  Having  arrived  at  this  barrier 
to  all  farther  progress,  there  they  obstinately 
remained.  Weeks  were  spent  in  watching  them, 
but  I  never,  in  a  single  instance,  saw  one  turn 
back  and  endeavour  to  seek  a  more  congenial 
watercourse  ;  but,  crowded  from  behind  bv 
fresh  arrivals,  they  died  by  the  score,  and,  drift- 
ing slowly  along,  in  time  reached  the  larger 


■rAlJL.g^'TS***'****;  ■****•••*« 


"  ^'^-^rir.'V^m^'*^  '■ » 


SALMON. 


48 


stream.  It  was  a  strange  and  novel  sight  to 
see  three  moving  lines  of  fish — ^the  dead  and 
dying  in  the  eddies  and  slack-water  along  the 
banks,  the  living,  breasting  the  current  in  the 
centre,  blindly  pressing  on  to  perish  like  their 
kindred. 

Even  in  streams  where  a  successful  deposition 
of  the  ova  has  been  accomplished,  there  never 
appears,  as  far  as  my  observations  have  gone,  aAy 
disposition  in  the  parent-fish  to  return  to  the  sea. 
Their  instinct  still  prompts  them  to  keep  swim- 
ming up-stream,  until  you  often  find  them  with 
their  noses  worn  quite  oflf,  their  heads  bruised 
and  battered,  fins  and  tail  ragged  and  torn, 
bodies  emaciated,  thin,  and  flabby;  the  bright 
silvery  tints  dull  and  leaden  in  hue,  a  livid  red 
streak  extending  along  each  side  from  head  to 
tail,  in  which  large  ulcerous  sores  have  eaten 
into  the  very  vitals. 

The  Indians  say  all  the  salmon  that  come  up 
to  spawn  die ;  but  if  all  do  not  die,  I  have  no 
hesitation  in  saying  that  very  few  spring-salmon 
ever  reach  the  saltwater  after  ascending  the 
rivers  to  spawn.  Why  there  should  be  thi^* 
marvellous  waste  of  salmon  in  the  rivers  of  the 
North-west  I  am  somewhat  puzzled  to  imagine. 
The  distance  the  fish  have  to  travel  from  the  sea 


44 


FISH   HARVESTING. 


up-stream,  or  the  obstacles  they  may  have  to 
overcome,  have  clearly  nothing  to  do  with  their 
dying.  In  the  Chilukweyuk  river  the  distance 
from  the  sea  is  not  over  200  miles,  and  that 
clear  from  any  kind  of  hindrance ;  and  yet  they 
die  in  thousands.  In  the  Columbia  they  ascend 
a  thousand  miles  to  the  Kettle  Falls,  and  they 
have  been  caught  many  hundred  miles  above 
that;  still  they  die  just  the  same  as  in  the 
shorter  streams.  Up  the  Snake  river  they  push 
their  way  to  the  great  Shoshonee  Falls,  over  a 
thousand  miles  against  a  rocky  stream,  but  perish 
there  just  as  they  do  in  the  Sumass  and  Chiluk- 
weyuk rivers,  which  are  close  to  the  sea. 

Unlike  the  salmon  in  our  own  streams,  the 
spring-salmon  in  North-western  waters  spawn  in 
midsummer,  when  the  water  is  at  its  lowest  tem- 
perature and  greatest  flood-height,  from  the  melt- 
ing snow.  As  there  is  no  impediment  or  hindrance 
to  prevent  them  returning  to  the  sea,  why  do  they 
die  in  N.W.  waters  ?  In  my  opinion,  from  sheer 
starvation.  Careful  observations,  made  at  various 
Indian  fishing-stations  and  extending  over  a  ^ong 
space  of  time,  have  quite  convinced  me  that 
salmon  (I  more  particularly  allude  to  the  spring- 
fish)  never  feed  after  leaving  saltwater.  My 
reasons  for  thus  thinking  are,  first,  no  salmon 


»,w,--..«>^^*r*--**w»5  nrt<^<r•^^,^*•^• 


SALMON. 


45 


(as  far  as  I  know)  has  ever  been  tempted  to  take 
a  bait  of  any  kind  in  the  fresh  water  above  the 
tideway.  The  Indians  all  say  that  salmon  never 
eat  when  in  the  rivers ;  and  I  could  never  dis- 
cover that  they  had  any  recorded  instance,  or 
even  tradition,  of  a  salmon  being  taken  with 
bait. 

I  tried  every  lure  I  could  think  of,  to  tempt 
these  lordly  salmon.  The  most  killing  salmon- 
flies  of  Scotch,  Irish,  and  English  ties,  thrown  in 
the  most  approved  fashion,  were  trailed  close  to 
their  noses ;  such  flies  as  would  have  coaxed 
any  old  experienced  salmon  in  the  civilised 
world  of  waters  to  forget  his  caution.  Hooks, 
cunningly  baited  with  live  fish,  aquatic  lai'vaj, 
and  winged  insects,  were  scorned,  and  not  even 
honoured  with  a  sniff.  Others  of  the  Com- 
mission also  tried  their  powers  of  fascination, 
but  with  equally  unsuccessful  results. 

I  have  opened  a  veiy  large  number  of  salmon 
at  various  Indian  fishing-stations,  on  their 
first  arrival,  and  during  every  stage  of  their 
wasting  vitality,  and  after  death  had  ended  their 
sufferings ;  and  not  in  a  solitary  instance  did  I 
ever  discover  the  trace  of  food  in  the  stomach  or 
intestinal  canal.  But  in  every  case  where  a 
salmon  was  taken  in  the  tideway  or  saltwater, 


4« 


FISH   HARVESTING. 


I  invariably  found  the  remains  of  small  fish 
and  marine  animals  in  its  stomach ;  and  in 
the  estuaries  and  long  inland  canals  that  so 
strangely  intersect  the  coast-line  of  British  Co- 
lumbia, salmon  are  readily  and  easily  caught 
with  hook  and  line ;  clearly  showing  to  my  mind, 
that  whilst  in  salt  and  brackish  water  the 
North-western  spring-salmon  feed  and  fatten, 
but,  after  quitting  their  ocean-haunts  for  the  cold 
fres^h-water,  they  starve,  waste,  and  die,  as  a 
lamp  goes  out  from  sheer  want  of  oil.  Surely, 
where  hundreds  of  salmon  are  split  in  a  day, 
as  at  the  Kettle  Falls,  it  is  fair  to  assume 
that  if  they  took  any  food,  by  chance  a  fish 
would  be  caught  immediately  after  its  meal, 
with  enough  evidence  in  the  stomach  to  prove 
the  fact  of  having  broken  its  fast ;  but  such 
proof  is  never  discoverable.  Digestion  would 
scarcely  be  more  rapid  in  the  rivers  than  it  is 
in  the  ocean  and  estuaiy,  where  we  know  they 
eat.  Open  a  salmon  and  examine  its  stomach 
at  any  time,  caught  either  in  nets  or  with  hook 
and  line,  and  food  in  various  stages  of  digestion 
will  be  invariably  found. 

Another  proof  that  they  undergo  a  rigid  and 
persistent  lent  is  found  in  the  rapid  wasting  of 
all  the  tissues  that  goes  on  during  their  sojourn 


SALMON. 


47 


in  fresh-water.  Allowing  for  the  consumption 
of  material  requisite  for  the  purposes  of  repro- 
duction, and  the  wear-and-tear  consequent  on 
making  their  way  up  stiiF  currents,  leaping 
falls,  and  laboriously  toiling  up  rocky  cantons — 
still  I  contend,  if  only  a  partial  equivalent  was 
resupplied  in  the  shape  of  food,  waste  would  not 
go  on  to  the  actual  death  of  the  muscles,  that 
slough  away  in  large  pieces,  as  the  exhausted 
fish  makes  feeble  efibrts  to  struggle  on  ;  dying 
at  last  a  loathsome  mass  of  rotting  animal 
matter. 

Sores,  in  both  male  and  female  fish,  often  arise 
from  injuries  inflicted  by  the  teeth  of  a  jealous 
adversary ;  but  these  wounds  are  utterly  diff*er- 
ent  from  the  sloughing  ulcer,  arising,  as  I  be- 
lieve, fi'om  sheer  lack  of  vital  force.  These 
salmon  veritably  consume  themselves,  and  perish, 
when  life's  stove  bums  out,  for  want  of  fuel  to 
keep  it  alight. 

In  August  the  Chilukwejnik  river  became  per- 
fectly unendurable  from  the  quantities  of  dead  fish 
floating  down.  I  had  with  me  a  splendid  retriever, 
that,  to  my  disgust  and  annoyance,  used  to  amuse 
himself,  during  my  absence  from  the  tent,  by 
swimming  in  after  the  floating  salmon,  bring- 
ing them  ashore,  and  safely  storing  them  in  my 


mSSSSSB 


48 


FISH   HARVESTING. 


canvas  dwelling ;  and  on  my  return  I  used  to  dis- 
cover a  heap  of  fish,  the  stench  from  which  was 
beyond  human  endurance.  If  fastened  out  from 
the  tent,  ho  piled  them  up  at  the  door  :  all  the 
lessons  bestowed  on  him  failed  to  convince  him 
of  his  folly ;  he  stuck  to  his  disagreeable  habit 
with  a  perseverance  worthy  of  a  better  cause. 

Arriving  a  little  later  than  the  preceding,  is  a 
smaller  fish,  which  I  believe  to  be  the  Salmo 
paucidens  (Weak-Toothed  Salmon)  of  Sir  J.  Rich- 
ardson, F.  B.  A.,  p.  223 ;  the  red  charr  of  Lems 
and  Clark,  but  the  red  they  allude  to  is  a  colour 
every  one  of  the  different  species  acquire  after 
being  a  short  time  in  the  rivers. 

This  fish  seldom  attains  a  weight  over  from 
three  to  five  pounds,  and  is  called  by  the  In- 
dians, at  the  salmon-leap  at  Colville  on  the  Co- 
lumbia, stzoin  ;  it  is  a  very  handsome  fish,  back 
nearly  straight,  a  light  sea-greenish  colour ;  sides 
and  belly  silvery-white,  tail  very  forked,  fins 
and  tail  devoid  of  any  spots  ;  the  teeth  are  wide 
apart,  and  not  strongly  implanted.  I  was  dis- 
posed at  first  to  think  they  were  the  young  of 
some  other  species;  but  the  Indians  are  posi- 
tive they  are  not,  and  they  spawn  much  as 
the  others  do.'  In  a  small  stream  or  tributary 
to  the  Chilukweyuk  river,  a  mountain-torrent 


SALMON. 


49 


as 


on  the  west  side  of  the  Cascades  flowing  into  the 
Fraser,  on  the  banks  of  which  1  was  for  a  long 
time  encamped,  and  up  which  the  salmon  come 
in  great  numbers,  I  amused  myself  watching 
this  species  of  salmon  (Salmo  paucidens)  de- 
posit their  spawn.  It  was  in  August,  the  water 
clear  as  crystal,  the  bottom  a  fine  brown 
gravel.  A  trench,  that  looked  about  three  or 
four  inches  deep  and  three  feet  long,  was 
muzzled  out  by  the  noses  of  the  females.  A 
female  fish  poised  herself  over  the  trench,  head 
up-stream,  and  by  a  rapid  vibration  of  her 
fins  kept  herself  nearly  still ;  this  lasted  about 
a  minute  and  a  half  or  two  minutes,  during 
which  time  a  quantity  of  ova  were  deposited. 
She  then  darted  off  like  an  arrow ;  four  males 
at  once  took  her  place  over  the  spawn-bed,  and 
remained,  just  as  the  female  had  done,  about 
two  minutes.  On  their  leaving  two  females 
came,  and  were  followed  by  the  males,  as  before. 
The  water  was  about  four  feet  deep.  I  am 
quite  sure,  from  often  watching  these  streams, 
that  one  spawning-bed  is  used  by  a  great  many 
males  and  females :  it  was  both  curious  and  in- 
teresting to  watch  the  extreme  regularity  with 
which  the  sexes  succeeded  each  other. 

The  question  as  to  what  becomes  of  the  young 

VOL.  I.  B 


FISH   HARVESTING. 


salmon  after  leaving  the  egg,  is  a  query  more 
('asily  asked  than  answered.     There  are  no  snug 
breeding-ponds,    no   cosy  little   aquariums    or 
water-nurseries,  where  the  baby-salmon  may  be 
watched  and   carefully  tended  until,  honoured 
with  a  badge,  it  is  sent  away  to  travel  through 
pelagic    meadows,  deep-sea  forests,  and    ocean 
gardens,  where,  growing  rapidly,  bigger  if  not 
wiser,  it  returns  to  tell  how  long  it  has  been 
away,   and   how   rapidly   it  has    grown.      As- 
sistance such  as  this  falls  not  to  the  lot  of  the 
hunter-naturalist,  who  with  prying   eye   peers, 
searches,  and  grubs  about  on  the'  banks  and  into 
the  depths  of  the  lakes  and  mountain- tor  rents, 
in    this  far-western  wilderness.      Had   he  the 
eyes  of  Argus,   he  could   only  register  a  few 
hasty  observations,  and  generalise  on  their  value : 
he  has  no  opportunities  for  investigations,  such 
as  they  have,  who  at  home  can  watch  the  egg  in 
their  very  parlours,  gradually  shaping  itself  into 
the  quaint  little  salmon;  see  it  come  from  out 
the  egg-case  with   its  haversack  of  provender, 
wonderfully  provided  to  supply  its  wants,  until 
able  to  live  by  its  own  teeth  and  industi'y ;  track 
its  growth  and  habits  through  its  youthful  days ; 
then,  marking  it  with  a  leaden  medal,  send  it  off 
to  sea,  to  welcome  it  back  after  its  wanderings  a 
full-grown  salmon. 


SALMON. 


41 


It  may  be  that  Creative  wisdom  has  im- 
planted the  same  instinct  in  the  North-western 
salmon,  prompting  it  to  obey  similar  laws,  and 
follow  the  same  routine  as  to  the  exodus  sea- 
ward, and  return  to  fresh-water,  as  directs  it  in 
our  native  streams :  my  OAvn  impression  is,  that 
the  fish  spawned  in  midsummer  or  autumn  re- 
main up  in  the  lakes  and  deep  still  river-pools 
until  the  following  summer  freshets,  when  they 
take  their  departure  for  the  sea  as  th*  fresh- run 
salmon  come.  I  think  so,  because  in  tha  Sumass 
and  Chilukweyuk  lakes,  already  spoken  of;  along 
the  banks  of  the  Fraser  river,  and  in  the  Osoyoos 
lakes  and  tributaries  to  the  Columbia  river,  I 
have  in  September  and  October  observed  iaif^e 
shoals  of  what  I  believed  to  be  young  salmon, 
that  disappear  when  the  snow  begins  to  melt 
during  June  and  July  in  the  following  summer. 
I  suspect  the  first  flood  carries  them  down  and 
out  to  sea ;  but,  after  all,  thi6  is  but  &urmise, 
and  of  little  practical  value.  ^ 

I  never  caught  salmon-fry  whilst  fishing  for 
trout,  as  we  could  so  easily  do  in  o^  -  treams :  nnd 
it  is  just  possible  that  the  rapid  rise  (unlike  tray- 
thing  we  know  of  in  our.strearra)  that  takes  place 
in  every  river,  brook,  and  rivulet  during  midsum- 
mer, when  the  snow  melts  on  the  hills,  reducini^ 

£  2 


M  FISH   HARVESTING. 

the  temperature  of  the  water  down  to  freezing- 
point,  may  send  the  young  salmon-fry  into  the 
saltwater  at  a  very  early  period  of  its  life.  *  At 
three  days  old  he  is  nearly  two  grains  in  weight ;  at 
16  months  old  he  has  increased  to  two  ounces,  or 
480  times  its  first  weight ;  at  20  months  old,  after 
the  smolt  has  been  a  few  months  in  the  sea,  it 
becomes  a  grilse  of  8^  lbs.,  having  increased  68 
times  in  three  or  four  months ;  at  2f  years  old  it 
becomes  a  salmon  of  from  12  to  15  lbs.  weight, 
after  which  its  increased  rate  of  gi'owth  has  not 
been  ascertained;  but  by  the  timeitbecomesSOlbs. 
in  weight,  it  has  increased  115,200  times  the 
weight  it  was  at  first."  *  These  smolts  that  I  have 
seen  in  shoals  were  about  halfan  ounce  in  weight, 
the  produce  of  the  summer's  spawning.  As  I 
have  stated,  they  disappear  when  the  floods  set 
in ;  and  nothing  more  is  seen  of  them  until  they 
return  salmon  of  various  sizes,  from  2  lbs.  to 
75  lbs.,*  or,  as  I  believe,  the  Quinnat  and  Stzoin. 
The  next  salmon  in  importance,  as  affording 
food  to  the  Indians,  is  called  by  them  at  the  Kettle 
Falls  cha-cha-lool^  and  arrives  with  the  quinnat. 
Xhis  is  unquestionably  a  fully-matured  fish, 
and  a  distinct  species,  answering  in  many  par- 


*  BucklaDd's  Manual,  '  Salmon  Hatching,'  page  24. 


SALMON. 


5S 


ticulars  to  the  Salmo  Gairdneri  of  Sir  J.  Rich- 
ardson, F.  B.  A.,  *  Fishes,*  p.  221 ;  it  will  be  as 
well  to  retain  that  name.  It  may  be  readily  dis- 
tinguished from  the  quinnat  by  its  rounded  blunt- 
looking  nose,  shorter  and  much  thicker  head, 
straighter  back,  and  more  slender  figure — the  tail 
not  nearly  as  much  forked.  The  entire  colour  of 
the  back  is  much  lighter,  and  thickly  freckled, 
as  are  the  fins  and  tail,  with  oval  black  spots. 
The  average  weight  of  the  cha-cha-lool  is  from 
8  to  11  lbs.  This  salmon  is  common  in  the  Fraser, 
Chilukweyuk,  and  Sumass  rivers,  and  in  every 
stream  along  the  mainland  and  island  coasts  up 
which  salmon  ascend.  When  they  first  arrive 
the  flesh  is  most  delicious — fat,  pink,  and  firm 
withal,  and  to  my  palate  finer  than  that  of  the 
mammoth  quinnat.  The  Indians  also  prize 
these  salmon,  and  pack  them  when  dried  in  bales 
apart  from  the  others. 

Salmo  Gairdneri  and  S.  quinnat  are  the  spring 
salmon,  but  the  autumn  has  also  its  supply  of 
*  swimming  silver,'  quite  equal  to  that  of  spring 
in  point  of  numbers,  but  inferior  in  quality. 
Up  the  Columbia  in  October  to  the  Kettle  Falls, 
and  somewhat  earlier  in  the  Fraser  and  rivers 
north  of  it,  comes  an  ugly,  unprepossessing, 
hook-nosed,   dingy-looking    salmon,    called    by 


wma 


«« 


FISH   HARVESTING. 


the  Colville  Indians  Keasoo,  by  the  Chinookg 
Ekewan^  by  the  Clallams  Kutch-kutch  —  the 
Hooked  Snout  of  the  fur-traders,  Salmo  lycaodon 
of  Pallas,  Zoog.  Russ.  Asiat. 

When  fresh-run,  this  fish  in  colour  is  of  a 
silvery-grey  lustre  ;  back,  overshot  with  a 
greenish  hue;  belly,  silver}^- wh ite ;  no  spots 
on  either  the  back  or  sides.  The  hooked  nose, 
said  to  be  peculiar  to  the  male  fish  after 
spawning,  is  a  well-marked,  constant,  and  speci- 
fic character  in  every  fresh-run  fish,  the  females 
having  at  all  times  symmetrical  jaws.  I  found, 
from  carefully  observing  great  numbers  of  these 
fresh-run  males,  that  the  hooked  state  of  the  snout 
differs  very  materially  in  fish  arriving  at  the  same 
period ;  and  I  am  quite  convinced  that  large  num- 
bers of  these  salmon  do  get  back  again  to  the 
saltwater  after  spawning,  and  that  the  strange 
change  that  takes  place  in  the  hooking  over  of 
the  snout  and  growth  of  the  teeth,  during  their 
sojourn  in  the  rivers,  remains  a  permanent  mark; 
and  the  vast  difl'erence  observable  in  the  males, 
at  the  time  of  arrival,  is  simply  attributable  to 
the  fact,  that  those  having  the  large  fanglike 
teeth  and  tremendously  crooked  snout  are  such 
as  have  been  up  the  rivers  perhaps  the  year  before, 
or,  it  may  be,  long  prior  to  that  period. 


.  i_j  rill  I  mucin 


SALMON. 


55 


In  every  stream  and  rill,  where  they  can  by 
any  possibility  work  a  passage,  you  find  these 
salmon;  they  remain  until  January  and  Febru- 
ary in  the  succeeding  year,  hocoming  fearfully 
emaciated  and  worn,  from  a  long  and  tedious 
abstinence;  for  I  believe  these  salmon  feed 
sparely,  if  at  all,  after  leaving  the  sea.  The 
fish  in  January  is  of  a  pale  dirty-yellow  colour ; 
the  sides,  showing  a  bright  purplish  stripe 
(sure  sign  of  waning  vitality),  are  flattened 
and  compressed;  the  back  is  straight  until 
near  its  posterior  third,  when  it  dips  down  sud- 
denly, and  rises  again  at  the  tail  just  as  if  you 
had  cut  a  notch  out.  The  belly,  instead  of  being 
silvery-white,  is  rusty  yellow,  and  hangs  pen- 
dulous and  flabby ;  the  eye  is  dull  and  sunken.  . 

But  the  most  curious  change  is  in  the  head 
of  the  male  fish  :  the  nose  becomes  enormously 
elongated,  and  hooks  down  like  a  gaff^-hook 
over  the  under-jaw,  and  the  under-jaw  bends 
up  at  the  point  into  a  kind  of  spike  that  fits 
into  a  regular  sheath  or  hole  in  the  upper  jaw, 
just  where  it  begins  bending  into  the  hook- 
like point ;  the  teeth  become  regular  fangs,  stick- 
ing out  round  the  jaws  at  irregular  distances, 
and  having  a  yellow  bonelike  appearance.  I 
have  often  seen  the  teeth  more  than  half  an  inch 


■Mm 


06  FISH   HARVESTING. 

in  length.  It  is  quite  clear  that  these  teeth 
grow  during  the  time  the  fish  remain  in  fresh- 
water ;  no  shrinking  of  the  gums  could  account 
for  such  a  length  of  tooth  ;  and  their  use,  I  be- 
lieve, is  for  fighting. 

My  own  observations  lead  me  to  assume  that 
at  least  there  are  eight  or  ten  males  to  every 
female;  and  as  one  spawning-bed  is  used  by 
many  females,  terrible  battles  ensue  between  the 
males  as  to  which  shall  impregnate  the  ova; 
and  it  would  appear,  reasoning  from  analogy, 
that  the  same  law  holds  good  with  fish  as  with 
gregarious  mammals  and  birds — the  stronger  and 
more  able  male  always  begets  the  offspring.  I 
hardly  think  the  ova  of  a  female  fresh-run  sal- 
mon, impregnated  by  the  milt  of  an  old  and 
spent  male  fish,  would  produce  as  strong  and 
healthy  an  offspring  as  the  male  fat,  fresh, 
vigorous,  and  healthy.  I  cannot  help  thinking 
there  must  have  been  some  purpose — as  antlers 
are  given  to  the  deer  tribes,  spurs  to  the  males 
of  gregarious  birds,  and  like  examples — in  giving 
such  formidable  weapons  to  these  salmon  during 
their  breeding- time ;  and  why  not  the  reason 
above  stated? 

Quoting  from  Dr.  Scouler :  *  Observatory  Inlet 
(which  I  should  imagine  to  be  just  such  an  inlet 


"  -^m 


SALMON. 


«r 


as  Puget*s  Sound)  was  frequented  at  the  time  by 
such  myriads  of  the  salmon,  that  a  stone  could 
not  have  reached  the  bottom  without  touching 
several  individuals — their  abundance  surpassing 
imagination  to  conceive.*  He  goes  on  to  say, 
that  in  a  little  brook  they  killed  sixty  with  their 
boarding-pikes.  Then,  he  says,  the  hump  before 
the  dorsal  fin  consists  of  fat,  and  appears  to 
be  peculiar  to  the  males,  who  acquire  it  after 
spawning-time,  when  their  snouts  become  elon- 
gated and  arched. 

The  Fall-salmon  (Salmo  lycaodon)  differ  most 
extraordinarily  at  diflPerent  periods  of  their 
growth — so  much  so,  that  I  quite  believed  the 
adult,  middle-aged,  and  young  were  vhree  dis- 
tinct and  well-marked  species;  but  Dr.  A.  GUn- 
ther  has  very  kindly  investigated  the  matter, 
and  knocked  my  three  species  into  one. 

Indians  take  the  young  of  this  salmon  in  large 
numbers  in  the  bays,  harbours,  and  fiord-like 
inlets  surrounding  the  island,  and  along  the 
British  Columbian  and  Oregon  coasts  ;  also  in  the 
Sumass,  Chilukweyuk,  and  Sweltza  rivers,  and  in- 
deed in  all  inland  lakes  that  are  accessible  to  fish 
from  the  sea.  These  handsome,  troutlike  young 
salmon  are  easily  caught  with  bait  of  any  kind ; 
they  rise  readily  to  a  gaudy  fly,  and  seize  even 


«^^- 


6B 


nSH   HARVESTING. 


a  piece  of  their  brethren  if  carefully  tied  round 
a  hook  ;  from  six  ounces  to  a  pound  is  about 
the  average  size.  When  they  go  to  sea  again 
from  the  lakes  I  had  no  opportunity  of  proving, 
but  I  imagine  they  go  down  with  the  floods,  as 
the  spring  salmon  come  up. 

The  second  form  in  which  I  mistook  it  for 
a  distinct  species  is  that  of  the  Humpbacked 
Salmon  (Salmo  proteus,  Pallas;  Salmo  gibber ^ 
Suckley ;  ^gerbuscha,^  Kamtschatka ;  *  hud-do '  of 
the  Nesqually  Indians  ;  *  hun-num '  of  the  Fraser 
river  Indians).  In  its  general  outline  it  differs 
altogether  from  the  Hook-nosed  Salmon.  The  back 
is  much  more  arched ;  nose  curved,  but  not  nearly 
as  much  as  in  the  mature  Salmo  lycaodon^  and  the 
under-jaw  turns  up  and  terminates  in  a  protu- 
berance or  knob ;  teeth  much  more  numerous, 
sharper,  and  smaller;  tail  deeply  notched,  and 
thickly  spotted  with  dark  oval-shaped  marks. 
The  most  conspicuous  feature  is  a  large  hump 
of  adipose  material  situated  on  the  shoulders,  a 
little  anterior  to  the  dorsal  fin,  and  only  found 
in  the  male  fish.  It  has  generally  been  stated 
that  this  hump  grows  upon  the  male  fish  after 
entering  the  fresh-water :  this  is  a  mistake, 
for  I  have  seen  them  again  and  again  taken  in 
the  sea,  before  going  up  into  the  rivers,  with 


SALMON. 


59 


this  hump  well  developed.  On  cutting  it  open, 
it  appears  to  be  a  sort  of  cellular  membrane, 
filled  with  an  oily,  semifluid  kind  of  material. 
The  use  of  this  deposit,  there  can  be  no  doubt, 
is  to  supply  the  male  with  this  material  in 
some  mysterious  way  during  the  spa\vning- 
time,  for,  after  that  period  has  passed,  the  hump 
entirely  disappears.  They  arrive  about  the  same 
time  as  the  older  fish,  but  only  in  very  large 
runs  every  second  year — ^have  the  same  range, 
and  die  in  thousands. 

At  Fort  Hope,  on  the  Fraser  river,  in  the 
month  of  September,  I  was  going  trout-fishing 
in  a  beautiful  stream,  the  Qua-que-alla,  that 
comes  thundering  and  dancing  down  the  Cas- 
cade Mountains,  cold  and  clear  as  crystal; 
these  salmon  were  then  toiling  up  in  thousands, 
and  were  so  thick  in  the  ford  that  I  had 
great  trouble  to  ride  my  horse  through;  the 
salmon  were  in  such  numbers  about  his  legs  as  to 
impede  his  progress,  and  frightened  him  so,  that 
he  plunged  viciously  and  very  nearly  had  me  off. 
They  are  never  at  any  time  good  eating;  the 
flesh,  in  fresh-run  fish,  is  white,  soft,  and  taste- 
less. The  Indians  only  eat  them  when  they  are 
unable  to  obtain  anything  else.  These  salmon 
work  up  to  the  very  heads  of  the  tributaries,  and 


mhMI 


60 


FISH   HARVESTING. 


I  have  often  seen  them  where  the  water  was  so 
shallow  as  to  leave  their  backs  uncovered. 

The  Salmo  canis  of  Suckley  (Dog-Salmon, 
Spotted  Salmon,  *  Natural  History  of  Washing- 
ton Territory,'  p.  341),  which  he  says  arrives  at 
Puget's  Sound  in  September  and  October,  I  be- 
lieve to  be  only  the  old  males  of  the  Salmo  lycaO' 
don  (Hook-nosed  Salmon),  that  have  had  a  turn 
in  the  rivers  perhaps  a  year  or  two  before,  and 
have  got  safely  back  again  to  the  sea,  recruited 
their  wasted  energies,  and  returned  again  for 
another  perilous  cruise  up  the  streams.  Tiie 
large  fanglike  teeth,  from  which  they  derive  the 
name  of  dog-salmon,  are  the  large  teeth  grown 
and  developed,  as  I  have  previously  described 
them,  whilst  spa^vning  in  the  fresh  water. 

Salmon  is  of  the  most  vital  importance  to  the 
Indians ;  deprived  or  by  any  means  cut  off  from 
obtaining  it,  starve  to  death  they  must;  and 
were  we  at  war  with  the  Redskins,  we  need  only 
cut  them  off  from  their  salmon- fisheries  to  have 
them  completely  at  our  mercy.  If  salmon-fish- 
eries— well  managed,  and  conducted  by  persons 
who  thoroughly  understood  salting,  barreling, 
and  curing  salmon — were  established  on  some  of 
the  tributaries  to  the  Fraser  and  Columbia  rivers, 
I  am  quite  convinced  they  would  pay  handsomely. 


SALMON. 


61 


Some  few  attempts  have  been  made  by  specu- 
lators, but  always  failed  for  want  of  capital  and 
proper  management.  The  Hudson's  Bay  Com- 
pany, in  some  of  their  inland  and  northern 
posts,  feed  their  employSs  on  dried  salmon  during 
the  winter.  At  Fort  Langley,  on  the  Frascr 
river,  the  Company  generally  salt  in  several 
hundred  casks  of  salmon,  and  these  principally 
go  to  the  Sandwich  Islands  or  to  China.  There 
was  one  large  salmon-curing  establishment  at  the 
mouth  of  the  Puyallup  river,  but  I  have  been 
told  it  did  not  pay;  the  fish,  being  badly  put  up 
and  carelessly  packed,  often  spoiled  before  reach- 
ing the  markets  for  which  they  were  destined. 
In  Victoria,  salmon  is  now  a  very  important 
article  both  of  food  and  commerce. 


G2 


FISH    HARVESTING. 


CHAPTER  III. 


FISH      HARVESTING. 


The  systems  adopted  by  the  Indians  for  captur- 
ing salmon  vary  in  accordance  with  the  localities 
chosen  for  fishing.  Besides  tlie  stages  or  baskets 
in  use  on  the  Columbia  river,  they  construct  weirs 
reaching  from  one  side  of  a  stream  to  the  other, 
with  skilfully-contrived  openings,  allowing  fish 
to  pass  easily  through  them  into  large  lateral 
stores  made  of  closely-woven  wicker,  where  they 
are  kept  prisoners  until  required. 

They  have  rather  a  clever  contrivance  for 
catching  salmon  in  the  bays  and  harbours, 
using  a  sort  of  gill-net  (a  net  about  forty  feet 
long  and  eight  feet  wide),  Avith  large  meshes  ; 
the  upper  edge  is  buoyed  by  bits  of  dry  cedar- 
wood,  that  act  as  floats,  and  the  net  kept  tight 
by  small  pebbles  slung  at  four-foot  distances 
along  the  lower  margin.  This  kind  of  net  the 
Indians  stretch  across  the  mouth  of  a  small  bay 
or  inlet,  and  sit  in  their  canoes  a  short  distance 


\ 


SALMON. 


G3 


off,  quietly  watching  it.  These  small  bays,  or 
saltwater  aquariums,  are  the  lurking-places  and 
strongholds  for  shoals  of  anchovies  and  herrings. 
Often  tempted  to  wander  and  make  excursions 
beyond  the  gateway  of  their  rocky  home,  they 
are  at  once  spied  by  predatory  piratical  salmon ; 
seeking  safety  in  flight,  they  dash  headlong  for 
their  hiding-place,  hotly  pursued  by  their 
dreaded  foe,  and  shooting  easily  through  the 
cordy  snare,  laugh  to  see  Master  Salmon  *run 
his  head  into  the  net;'  bob- bob  go  the  floats 
beneath  the  surfiice,  up  paddles  redskin,  hauls 
up  his  net,  clutches  the  silvery  pirate,  and  with 
a  short  heavy  club  gives  him  a  blow  on  the 
head,  drops  him  into  the  canoe,  lets  go  his  net, 
and  waits  for  the  next. 

With  this  kind  of  net  immense  numbers  of 
spring  and  fall  salmon  are  taken.  All  their  nets 
are  made  of  cord,  sjiun  from  native  hemp,  that 
grows  abundantly  along  the  banks  of  the  Fraser 
and  other  streams.  Squaws  gather  the  plant 
about  a  week  before  the  flowering- time  ;  first 
soak,  then  beat  it  into  fibre ;  this,  arranged  in 
regular  lengths,  is  handed  to  the  Indian,  who, 
seated  on  the  ground,  twists  the  bundles  of 
tiffled  hemp  into  cord — a  cord  as  regular  and 
symmetrical  as   the  handiwork  of  a  practised 


64 


FISH   HARVESTING. 


ropemaker — using  neither  tools  nor  machinery, 
but  simply  the  hand  and  naked  thigh. 

The  first  salmon  entering  the  Columbia  are 
taken  at  Chinook  Point,  a  short  distance  above 
Cape  Disappointment,  near  the  mouth  of  the 
river.  These  are  known  as  *  Chinook  salmon,' 
and  are  celebrated,  not  only  in  the  immediate 
neighbourhood  but  in  the  markets  of  San 
Francisco,  as  the  fattest  and  finest-flavoured 
salmon  taken  on  the  coast;  they  are  large, 
ranging  from  351bs.  to  701bs.  in  weight. 

In  June  the  grand  army  arrives.  We  need 
not  linger  at  the  old  fishery  of  the  Chinook 
Indians,  so  prosperous  fifty  years  ago.  The 
Indians  have  disappeared ;  but  the  salmon  army 
marches  on,  with  little  interruption,  until  they 
have  arrived  at  the  Cascades. 

Here  we  must  remain  awhile,  and  see  for 
ourselves  how  the  red  man  harvests  his  salmon. 
Salmon  is  quite  as  essential  to  the  Indians 
residing  inland  as  grain  to  us,  or  bananas  and 
plantains  to  the  residents  in  the  tropics :  gleaning 
the  regular  supply  of  fish,  the  Indian  literally 
hai'vests  and  garners  it  as  we  reap  our  grain-crops. 
It  cannot  be  by  mere  chance  that  fish  are 
prompted,  by  an  unalterable  instinct,  to  thread 
their  way  into  the  farthest  recesses  of  the  moun- 


SALMON. 


6A 


tains — fish  too  that  are  fat  and  oily,  and  best 
adapted  to  supply  heat  and  the  elements  of  nu- 
trition. 

The  winters  are  lon^  and  intensely  cold,  often 
30°  Fahr.  below  zero,  the  snow  lyin«^  deep  for  at 
least  six  months.  Birds  mi^^rate,  most  of  the 
rodents  and  the  bears  hyl)ernate,and  such  animals 
as  remain  to  brave  the  biting  cold,  retire  where 
it  is  very  difficult  and  often  impossible  to  hunt 
or  trap  them.  In  a  small  lodge,  made  of 
hides  or  rushes,  as  far  from  windproof  as  a  sieve 
would  be;  wrapped  in  miserable  mantles  (simply 
skins  sewn  together,  or  ragged  blankets,  bought 
of  the  Hudson's  Bay  Company),  cowering  and 
shivering  over  the  smouldering  logs,  arc  a  family 
of  savages.  The  nipping  blasts  and  icy  cold  forbid 
their  venturing  in  pursuit  of  food;  flesh  they 
could  not  cure  during  the  summer,  for  they 
have  not  salt,  and  sun-drying  is  insufficient  to 
preserve  it.  A  miserable  death,  starved  alike  by 
cold  and  hunger,  must  be  the  fate  of  this,  and  of 
all  Indian  families  away  from  the  seaboard,  but 
for  salmon:  sun-dried,  it  preserves  its  heat  and 
flesh-yielding  qualities  unimpaired ;  uncooked, 
they  chew  it  all  day  long,  and  frequently 
grow  fat  during  their  quasi -hybernation.  The 
waterways    are    thus    made    available   for   the 

VOL.  I.  F 


66 


FISH   HARVESTING. 


transport  of  coals  and  provisions  necessary  to 
keep  the  life-stove  burning,  floated  free  of  freight 
up  to  the  very  doors  of  the  Indian's  wigwam. 
The  way  he  harvests  this  store,  and  preserves 
it  for  winter  use,  we  shall  see  as  we  follow  the 
course  of  the  salmon  in  their  ascent  of  the 
Columbia  river. 

The  Cascades,  where  the  salmon  first  meet 
with  a  hindrance  to  their  upward  course,  is  a 
lovely  spot.  The  vast  river  here  breaks  its  way 
through  the  Cascade  Mountains,  a  mountain-gap 
unequalled,  I  should  say,  in  depth  and  extent, 
by  any  in  the  world.  Some  parts  are  massive 
walls  of  rock,  and  others  wooded  slopes  like  to 
a  narrow  valley.  One  can  hardly  imagine  the 
possibility  of  so  great  a  change  in  climate,  and 
consequently  vegetation,  as  there  is  betwixt 
this  place  and  the  Dalles,  only  a  few  miles 
farther  up  the  river.  I  have  left  the  Dalles 
when  the  ground  was  covered  with  snow,  and 
Avithin  a  distance  of  forty  miles  entered  this  gap, 
and  found  the  climate  to  be  that  of  summer. 
The  sloping  forests  brightly  gi'een,  shrubs  of 
various  sorts,  tropical  in  appearance,  immense 
ferns,  the  emerald  moss  clothing  the  rocks,  over 
which  dozens  of  waterfalls,  unbroken  for  a  thou- 
sand feet,  tumble  from  the  hills  into  the  river 


SALMON. 


er 


— all  together  make  up  a  scene  of  beauty  and 
rich  hixuriance,  unlike  any  other  part  of  the 
river. 

From  the  Dalles  to  the  Cascades  the  river  has 
scarcely  a  perceptible  current,  either  side  being 
bounded  by  perpendicular  walls  of  mountains. 
Tradition  says,  that  once  the  river  had  a  uniformly 
swift  course  the  entire  way,  and  that  where  the 
Cascades  now  are,  the  water  passed  at  that  time 
under  a  huge  arch  that  reached  from  side  to 
side.  Afterwards  an  earthquake  tumbled  it 
down,  the  ruins  of  the  arch  still  existing  as  a 
chain  of  islands  across  the  head  of  the  rapids ; 
the  river,  having  gradually  carried  away  the 
fragments,  forming  now  the  long  rapid.  The 
river,  thus  suddenly  thro'wn  back,  flooded  the 
forests  up  to  the  Dalles,  and  to  this  day  stumps 
of  trees  are  to  be  seen  sticking  out  of  the  water 
many  hundred  yards  from  the  shore. 

Below  the  Cascades,  before  reaching  the  flat 
district  about  Fort  Vancouver,  the  scenery  is 
bold  and  massive ;  immense  hills  densely  wooded, 
bold  promontories,  and  grassy  glades  are  passed 
successively  as  the  steamer  dashes  on  her  down- 
ward trip.  At  the  Cascades  there  is  now  a 
railway,  over  which  goods  and  passengers  are 
conveyed  to  the  steamers  above  the  rapids,  which 

F   2 


FISH   HARVESTING. 


! 


are  so  swift  that  canoes  plied  by  experienced 
Indians  dare  not  venture  to  run  them. 

Wandering  along  by  this  foamin?^  rush  of 
water,  one  sees  numberless  scaffoldings  erected 
amongst  the  boulders — rude  clumsy  contrivances, 
constructed  of  poles  jammed  between  large  stones, 
and  lashed  with  ropes  of  bark  to  other  poles, 
that  cross  each  other  to  form  stages.  Indian 
lodges,  pitched  in  the  most  picturesque  and  lovely 
spots  imaginable,  are  dotted  along  from  one  end 
of  the  rapids  to  the  other.  Indians  from  long 
distances  and  of  several  tribes  have  come  here  to 
await  the  arrival  of  the  salmon. 

Leaning  against  the  trees,  or  supported  by  the 
lodges,  are  numbers  of  small  round  nets  (like  we 
catch  shrimps  "with  in  rocky  pools),  fastened  to 
handles  forty  and  fifty  feet  in  length.  Hollow 
places  are  cunningly  enclosed,  with  low  walls 
of  boulders,  on  the  river-side  of  each  stage. 

It  is  early  in  June ;  the  salmon  have  arrived, 
and  a  busy  scene  it  is.  On  every  stage  plying 
their  nets  are  Indian  fishers,  guiltless  of  garments 
save  a  piece  of  cloth  tied  round  the  waist. 
Ascending  the  rapids,  salmon  seek  the  slack- 
waters  at  the  edges  of  the  current,  and  are 
fond  of  lingering  in  the  wake  of  a  rock  or  any 
convenient  hollow;  the  rock-basins  constructed 


SALMON. 


69 


to 


ted 


by  the  sides  of  the  stages  are  just  the  places  for 
idling  and  resting.  This  the  crafty  iisher  turns  to 
good  account,  and  skilfully  catches  the  loiterer  by 
plunging  his  net  into  the  pool  at  its  head,  and 
letting  the  current  sweep  it  down,  thus  hooping 
salmon  after  salmon,  with  a  certainty  astounding 
to  a  looker-on.  Thirty  salmon  an  hour  is  not  an 
unusual  take  for  two  skilled  Indians  to  land  on  a 
stage.  As  soon  as  one  gets  tired,  another  takes 
his  place,  so  that  the  nets  are  never  idle  during 
the  '  run.' 

The  instant  a  fish  reaches  the  stage,  a  heavy 
blow  on  the  head  stops  its  flapping ;  boys  and 
girls  are  v/aiting  to  seize  and  carry  it  ashore,  to 
be  split  and  cured — a  process  I  can  better  describe 
when  at  the  salmon-fiiUs.  As  there  is  at  the  Cas- 
cades simply  hindrance  to  the  salmon's  ascent,  of 
course  vast  numbers  escape  the  redskins'  nets. 

Forty  miles  above  this  fisheiy  is  another  ob- 
struction, the  Dalles;  where  the  river  forces  its 
way  through  a  mass  of  basaltic  rocks  in  nu- 
merous channels,  some  of  them  appearing  as  if 
hewn  by  human  hands.  Another  portage  has  to 
be  made  here,  a  neat  little  town  having  grown 
up  in  consequence  of  the  transhipment.  The 
journey  from  steamer  to  steamer  is  accomplished 
in  stages,  the  heavy  goods  being  hauled  by  mule 


70 


FISH    HARVESTING. 


and  ox-teams.  The  road  lies  over  a  steep  ridge 
of  hills  to  the  junction  of  the  Des  Chutes,  or  *  Fall 
river,'  with  the  Columbia.  Fishing  at  the  Dalles 
is  much  the  same  as  at  the  Cascades. 

Great  numbers  of  salmon  turn  off  and  ascend 
the  Snake  river,  to  be  captured  at  the  Great  Sho- 
shonee  Falls  by  the  Snake  and  Bannock  Indians. 
We  follow  on  the  vanguard  of  the  swimming 
army,  passing  numberless  tributaries,  up  which 
detachments  make  their  way,  right  and  left,  into 
the  heart  of  the  countiy — supplies  for  tribes  living 
near  the  different  streams — to  the  great  falls  of 
the  Columbia,  the  '  Kettle  Falls  ;'*  why  so  named 
is  not  very  clear.  These  falls,  except  when  the 
river  is  at  its  highest  flood,  form  an  impassable 
barrier  to  the  salmon's  progress ;  the  distance  from 
the  sea  is  about  700  miles,  and  the  first  arrivals 
are  usually  about  the  middle  of  J  une. 

The  winter-quarters  of  the  Boundary  Com- 
mission were  about  two  miles  above  the  falls, 
and  close  to  the  falls  is  a  trading-post  of  the 
Hudson's  Bay  Company,  Fort  Colville.  The 
gravelly  plateau  on  which  the  trading-post  stands, 
together  with  one  or  two  houses  belonging  to  old 
employ (^s,  was  clearly  once  a  lake-bottom.  The 
water  at  some  remote  period  filling  the  lake  ap- 

*    Vide  Illustration. 


SALMON. 


71 


pears  to  have  broken  its  way  out  through  the 
rocks  at  the  fulls,  and  left  this  flat  dry  land. 
Patches  of  wheat  and  barley  are  grown,  but  the  soil 
is  far  too  poor  to  repay  the  labour  of  cultivation. 


Alv 


^r*if%r\r\ 


ADout   tnrce   weeks   preceuuig 


the  ari'ivai  of 
the  salmon,  Indians  begin  to  assemble  from  all 
directions.  Cavalcades  may  be  seen,  day  after 
day,  winding  their  way  down  the  j^lain ;  and  as 
the  savage  when  he  travels  takes  with  liim  all 
his  worldly  wealth — wives,  children,  doji^s,  horses, 
lodges,  weapons,  and  skins — the  turn-out  is  rather 
novel.  The  smaller  children  are  packed  with  the 
baggage  on  the  backs  of  horses,  which  are  driven 
by  the  squaws,  who  always  ride  astride  like  the 
men.  The  elder  girls  and  boys,  three  or  four  on 
a  liorse,  ride  with  their  mothers,  whilst  the  men 
and  stouter  youths  drive  the  bands  of  horses 
that  run  loose  ahead  of  the  procession.  A  pack 
of  prick-eared  curs,  gi  .nply  tamed  prairie-wolves, 
are  always  in  attendance. 

A  level  piece  of  ground  overlooking  the  falls 
(the  descent  from  which  to  the  rocks  is  by  a  zig- 
zag path,  down  a  nearly  vertical  cliff)  is  rapidly 
covered  with  lodges  of  all  shapes  and  sizes.  The 
squaws  do  the  wc»'k  appertaining  to  camping, 
and  are  literally  'hewers  of  wood  and  drawers  of 
water.'     The  mtn,  who  are  all,  when  at  the  fiih- 


79 


FISH   HARVESTING. 


ery,  under  one  chief,  whom  they  designate  the 
*  Salmon  Chief,'  at  once  commence  work — some  in 
repairing  the  drying-sheds,  which  are  placed  on 
the  rocks  (as  are  also  numbers  of  lodges)  at  the 
foot  of  the  zigzag ;  others  are  busy  making  or 
mending  immense  wicker  hampers,  about  thirty 
feet  in  circumference,  and  twelve  feet  in  depth. 
Little  groups  are  dragging  down  huge  trees 
lopped  clear  of  their  branches — rolling,  twisting, 
and  tumbling  them  over  the  rocks,  to  be  fixed  at 
last  by  massive  boulders,  the  ends  hanging  over 
the  foaming  water  not  unlike  so  many  gibbets. 
These  trees  being  secure  and  in  their  right  places, 
the  next  work  is  to  hang  the  wicker  baskets 
to  them,  which  is  a  risky  and  most  difficult 
job :  but  many  willing  hands  and  long  ex- 
perience work  wonders ;  with  strong  ropes  of 
twisted  bark,  the  baskets  are  at  last  securely 
suspended.  By  this  time  the  river  begins  to  flood 
rapidly,  and  soon  washes  over  the  rocks  where 
the  trees  are  fastened,  and  into  the  basket,  which 
is  soon  in  the  midst  of  the  waterfall,  being  so 
contrived  as  to  be  easily  accessible  from  the 
rocks  not  ovei'washed  by  the  flood. 

Whilst  awaiting  the  coming  salmon,  the 
scene  is  one  great  revel :  horse-racing,  gambling, 
love-making,  dancing,  and  diversions  of  all  sorts, 


''■'•> 


\ 


SALMON. 


73 


K 


:s, 


occupy  the  singular  assembly;  for  at  these 
annual  gatherings,  when  all  jointly  labour  in 
catching  and  curing  the  winter  supply  of  salmon, 
feuds  and  dislikes  are  for  the  time  laid  by,  or, 
as  they  figuratively  express  it,  *  The  hatchet  is 
buried.' 

The  medicine-men  (doctors  and  conjurors)  of 
the  different  tribes  busily  work  their  charms  and 
incantations  to  insure  an  abundant  run  of  fish. 
One  of  the  illustrations  is  drawn  from  a  photo- 
graph of  the  falls.  The  Indians  at  first  steadily 
refused  to  allow  the  photographer  and  his  ma- 
chine to  come  near  the  falls,  declaring  it  a 
box  of  bad  '  medicine  *  that  would  surely  drive 
every  salmon  away ;  and  not  until  an  old  Romish 
priest  who  was  at  the  trading-post  explained 
it  to  them,  did  they  permit  a  photograph  to 
be  taken. 

The  watchers  announce  the  welcome  tidings 
of  the  salmon  arrival,  and  the  business  begins. 
The  baskets  are  hung  in  places  where  past 
experience  has  taught  the  Indians  salmon  ge- 
nerally leap,  in  their  attempts  to  clear  the  falls. 
The  first  few  that  arrive  are  frequently  speared 
from  tlie  rocks.  They  are  in  such  vast  numbers 
during  the  height  of  the  'run,'  that  one  could 
not  well  throw  a  stone  into  the  water  at  the 


^J, 


i 


74 


FISH   HARVESTING. 


base  of  the  falls  without  hitting  a  fish :  fifty  and 
more  may  be  seen  in  the  air  at  a  time,  leaping 
over  the  wicker  traps,  but,  failing  to  clear  the 
'  salmon-leap,  '  fall  back,  and  are  caged.  In 
each  basket  two  naked  Indians  are  stationed 
all  day  long;  and  as  they  are  under  a  heavy 
fall  of  water,  frequent  relays  are  necessary. 
Salmon  three  or  four  at  a  time,  in  rapid  suc- 
cession, tumble  into  the  basket.  The  Indians 
thrust  their  lingers  under  the  gills,  strike  the 
fish  on  the  head  with  a  heavy  club,  and  then  fling 
them  on  the  rocks.  I  have  known  three  hundred 
salmon  landed  from  one  basket  betwixt  sunrise 
and  sunset,  varying  in  weight  from  twenty  to 
seventy-five  pounds. 

From  the  heaps  of  fish  piled  on  the  rocks, 
boys  and  girls  carry  and  drag  them  back  to  the 
squaws  seated  round  the  curing-houses;  with 
sharp  knives  they  rip  the  salmon  open,  twist  off 
the  head, and  cleverly  remove  the  backbone;  then 
hanging  them  on  poles,  close  under  the  roofs  of 
sheds  the  sides  of  which  are  open,  they  dry  them 
slowly,  small  fires  being  kept  constantly  smoul- 
dering on  the  floors.  The  smoke  serves  to  keep 
away  the  flies,  and  perhaps  also  aids  in  the  pre- 
servation of  the  fish.  The  only  portions  eaten  by 
the  Indians  during  the  catching  are  the  heads. 


I 


SALMON. 


[ 


backbones,  roes,  and  livers,  which  are  ronsted, 
skewered  on  sticks. 

When  thoroughly  dried  the  fish  are  packed  in 
bak'S  made  of  rush-mats,  each  bale  weighing  about 
fifty  pounds,  the  bales  being  tightly  lashed  with 
bark-ropes.  Packing  in  bales  of  equal  weight 
facilitates  an  equitable  division  of  the  take. 
Horses  are  purposely  brought  to  carry  the  fish 
back  to  winter-quarters,  and  two  bales  are  easily 
packed  on  each  horse.  The  fishing-season  lasts 
for  about  two  months:  then  the  spoils  are 
divided,  and  the  place  abandoned  to  its  wonted 
quietude,  until  the  following  summer  brings 
with  it  another  harvest. 

During  the  drying,  silicious  sand  is  blown  over 
the  fish,  and  of  course  adheres  to  it.  Constantly 
chewing  this  *  sanded  salmon '  wears  the  teeth  as 
if  filed  down,  which  I  at  first  imagined  them  to  be, 
until  the  true  cause  was  discovered.  I  have  an 
under-jaw  m  my  possession  whereon  the  teeth 
are  quite  level  with  the  bony  sockets  of  the  jaw, 
worn  away  by  the  flinty  sand. 

I  question  if  in  the  world  there  is  another  spot 
where  salmon  are  in  greater  abundance,  or  taken 
with  so  little  labour,  as  at  the  Kettle  Falls,  on 
the  Columbia  river.  In  all  streams  emptying 
into  Puget's  Sound,   in   the  Fraser   river,   and 


r  J 


76 


FISH    HARVESTING. 


*v 


rivers  north  of  it  to  the  Arctic  Ocean,  salmon 
ascend  in  prodigious  abundance.  In  the  Frasor 
there  are  no  obstructions  as  far  as  Fort  Hope  to 
the  sahnon  ascent ;  hence  fishing  is  carried  on  by 
each  village  or  family  for  themselves,  and  not  by 
the  combined  labour  uf  many,  as  on  the  Colum- 
bia. Near  the  m<  uth  of  the  river  large  iron  gafF- 
hooks  are  generally  used;  with  these  ugly  weapons 
salmon  are  hooked  into  the  canoes.  Higher  up, 
at  the  mouths  of  the  Sumass,  Chilukweyuk,  and 
other  tributary  streams,  they  use  a  very  ingenious 
kind  of  net  worked  between  two  canoes,  with 
which  large  numbers  of  salmon  are  taken.  Stages, 
too,  are  hung  over  the  eddies  from  the  rocks, 
and  round  nets  used  as  at  the  Cascades. 

On  the  Nanim.o  river  the  Indians  have  a  very 
ingenious  contrivance  for  taking  salmon,  by  con- 
structing a  weir ;  but,  instead  of  putting  baskets, 
they  pave  a  square  place,  about  six  feet  -wide  and 
fourteen  feet  long,  with  white  or  light-coloured 
stones.  This  pavement  is  always  on  the  lower 
side  of  the  weir,  leading  to  an  opening.  A 
stage  is  erected  between  two  of  these  paved 
ways,  where  Indians,  lying  on  their  stomachs,  can 
m  an  instant  see  if  a  salmon  is  traversing  the 
white  paved  way.  A  long  spear,  barbed  at  the 
end,  is  held  in  readiness,  and  woe  betide  the 


TROUT. 


77 


adventurous  fish  that  runs  the  gauntlet  of  this 
perilous  passage ! 

But  the  most  curious  contrivance  T  saw  was 
at  Johnson's  Narrows.  I  have  said  salmon  readily 
take  a  bait  when  in  saltwater.  Tlie  Indians  v/hcn 
fishing  use  two  spears,  one  about  seventy  feet  in 
length ;  the  other  shorter,  having  a  barbed  end,  is 
about  twenty  feet  long.  In  a  canoe  thus  equipped, 
favourable  fishing-grounds  are  sought,  the  In- 
dian having  the  long  spear  being  also  provided 
"vvith  a  small  hollow  cone  of  wood,  trimmed  round 
its  greater  circumference  with  small  feathers, 
much  like  a  shuttlecock ;  this  he  places  on  the 
end  of  the  longer  spear,  and  presses  it  under 
water,  until  do^vn  the  full  length  of  the  handle ; 
a  skilful  jerk  detaches  this  conelike  affair  from 
the  spear-haft,  when  it  wriggles  up  through  the 
water  like  a  struggling  fish.  The  savage  with 
the  short  spear  intently  watches  this  deceiver;  a 
salmon  runs  at  it,  and  it  is  speared  like  magic. 

Next  in  importance  amongst  the  Salmonida) 
is  the  Oregon  Brook  Trout,  Fario  stellatus  (Grd. 
Proc.  Acad.,  Phil.  Nat.  Soc,  viii.  219). 

Specific  Characters. — Head  rather  large,  con- 
tained four-and-a-half  times  in  the  total  length  ; 
maxillary  reaching  a  vertical  line  draNvn  behind 
the   orbit.      Colour   of  the   back   brijrht   olive- 


wtm. 


IMAGE  EVALUATION 
TEST  TARGET  (MT-3) 


w 


1.0 


m.  12.5 


I.I 


mm 
m 


■  2.2 

^    13.6      Bi^B 


111 


lA 


i 


1.25  1  1.4   1 1.6 

< 

— 6"     

► 

Photographic 

Sdences 
Corporation 


^O"  .^  ''^^.v^ 


33  WEST  MAIN  STREET 

WEBSTER,  N.Y.  14SS0 

(716)S72-4S03 


4^ 


78 


FISH   HARVESTING. 


green,  sides  piRkish-yellow,  belly  white,  profusely 
speckled  over  with  minute  black  spots. 

This  trout  lives  ever5rwhere,  and  is  to  be  met 
with  in  the  lakes  and  rivers  in  Vancouver  Island, 
in  all  streams  flowing  into  Puget's  Sound,  and 
away  up  the  western  sides  of  the  Cascades.  Cross- 
ing to  the  eastern  side,  and  descending  into  the 
valley  of  the  Columbia,  again  he  puts  in  an  ap- 
pearance. Climb  the  western  slope  of  the  Rocky 
Mountains  up  to  the  summit,  7,000  feet  above  the 
sea-level,  there  too  he  lives — always  hungry  and 
voracious.  These  trout  are  very  delicious,  vary- 
ing from  eight  ounces  up  to  three  pounds  in 
weight. 

My  first  exploit  in  fishing  for  trout  may  be 
worth  relating : — I  was  sitting  on  the  bank  of  a 
stream  that  rippled  gaily  on  its  rocky  course,  down 
the  western  slope  of  the  Rocky  Mountains ;  and 
which,  here  and  there  lengthening  out  into  a  long 
stickle,  and  curling  round  a  jutting  rock,  lazily 
idled  by  the  grassy  bank ;  anon  leaping  a  sudden 
fall,  and  widening  into  a  glassy  pool.  Butterflies 
gambolled  and  flitted  recklessly  ;  dragonflies  clad 
in  brilliant  annour  waged  cruel  war  on  the  lesser 
forms  of  winged  life,  chasing  them  everywhere. 
The  busy  hum  of  insects,  the  air  fragrant  with  the 
forest  perfumes,  the  murmur  of  the  water,  and 


TROUT. 


79 


the  songs  of  feathered  choristers  made  one  feel 
happy,  though  far  away  from  civilisation.  My 
reverie  was  broken  by  a  sudden  splash ;  a  speckled 
tyrant,  lurking  under  the  bank  on  which  I  sat, 
had  pounced  upon  a  large  grey  fly  that,  uncon- 
scious of  danger,  had  touched  the  water  with  its 
gauzy  wings.  Very  well.  Master  Trout,  you  may 
perhaps  be  as  easily  duped  as  your  more  cautious 
confreres)  so  setting  to  work,  I  overhauled  my 
'possible  sack,'  found  a  few  coarse  hooks,  a  bit  of 
gut,  and  some  thread. 

Among  other  materials  wherewith  to  make 
a  fly,  feathers  were  indispensable.  Shouldering 
my  gun,  I  strode  ofi^  to  look  for  a  *  white  flesher,' 
alias  ruffed  grouse ;  soon  stirred  one  up,  bagged 
him,  hauled  out  his  glossy  bottle-green  frill; 
selected  some  feathers  which  I  thought  would 
turn  a  decent  hackle,  picked  out  a  couple  of 
brighter  ones  for  wings,  some  red  wool  from 
my  blanket  for  dubbing,  and  with  these  materials 
I  tied  a  fly.  Not  the  slightest  resemblance,  fan- 
cied or  real,  did  it  bear  to  anything  ever  created, 
but  still  it  was  a  fly,  and,  as  I  flattered  myself,  a 
great  achievement.  A  line  was  made  from  some 
ends  of  cord ;  then  cutting  a  young  larch,  I  made 
my  tackle  fast  to  the  end,  and  thus  equipped 
sallied  to  the  stream. 


80 


FISH   HARVESTING. 


I 


My  first  attempt  in  the  swift  scour  was  a 
lamentable  failure.  Warily  I  threw  my  newly- 
created  monster  well  across  the  stream,  and, 
according  to  the  most  approved  method,  let  it 
slowly  wash  towards  me,  conveying  to  the  rod 
and  line  a  delicate  and  tempting  tremble ;  not  a 
rise,  not  a  nibble ;  my  hopes  wavered,  and  I  began 
to  think  these  trout  wiser  than  I  had  given  them 
credit  for.  I  tried  the  pool  as  a  last  chance ;  so, 
leaning  over  the  rock,  I  let  my  tempter  drop 
into  the  water ;  it  made  a  splash  like  throwing 
in  a  stone ;  but  imagine  my  delight,  ye  lovers 
of  the  gentle  art,  when  a  tremendous  jerk 
told  me  I  had  one  hooked  and  struggling  to 
get  free !  Depending  on  the  strength  of  my 
tackle,  I  flung  him.  out  on  the  bank;  and  ad- 
mitting all  that  may  be  said  against  me  as 
being  barbarous  and  cruel,  I  confess  to  standing 
over  the  dying  fish,  and  admiring  his  brilliant 
colour,  handsome  shape,  fair  proportion — and,  last 
thought  not  least,  contemplated  eating  him !  I 
pitied  him  not  as,  flapping  and  struggling  on  the 
grass,  his  life  ebbed  away,  but  thought  only  of 
the  skill  I  had  displayed  in  duping  him,  and  the 
feast  in  store  for  me  on  returning  to  camp. 

Having  discovered  a  secret,  I  pressed  eagerly 
on  to  turn  it  to  the  best  advantage,  and  that 


TROUT. 


81 


V 


- 


day  played  havoc  amongst  the  trouts.  Some  long 
willow-branches,  cut  with  a  crook  at  the  end, 
served  me  in  lieu  of  a  basket.  Passing  the  sticks 
under  the  gill-covers,  and  out  at  the  mouth,  I 
strung  trout  after  trout  until  the  sticks  were 
filled ;  then  tying  the  ends  together,  flung  them 
across  my  shoulder  and  trudged  along ;  a  good 
plan  when  you  have  not  a  basket.  I  now  turned 
my  attention,  and  devoted  all  my  ingenuity,  to 
the  manufacture  of  a  more  angler-like  fly ;  and  in 
this  case  the  adage  proved  true,  'that  a  poor 
original  was  better  than  a  good  imitation.'  My 
well-dressed  fly  was  not  one-half  as  much  appre- 
ciated as  the  old  one ;  there  was  a  sham  gentility 
about  him  that  evidently  led  at  once  to  suspicion, 
and  it  was  only  here  and  there  I  met  with  a  fish 
weak  enough  to  fall  a  victim  to  his  polished  ex- 
terior; I  therefore  abandoned  the  dandy,  and 
returned  again  to  the  rough  old  red-shirted 
*  trapper  *  with  which  I  first  commenced. 

There  was  a  stream  in  which  I  had  better 
sport  than  in  any  of  the  others,  the  Mooyee,  on  the 
western  slope  of  the  Rocky  Mountains — a  small 
stream,  very  rocky,  clear  as  crystal,  icy  cold,  and 
so  densely  wooded  on  each  side  that  fishing  in  it,, 
unless  by  wading,  was  impossible     I  remember 

VOL.  I.  a 


83 


FISH   HARVESTING. 


one  pool  as  being  particularly  productive  —  a 
rock-basin,  with  a  little  rivulet  dancing  into  it 
through  a  pebbly  reach ;  the  water  so  beautifully 
clear,  that  everything  in  the  pool  was  visible, 
as  though  one  looked  into  an  aquarium.  I  could 
not  help  standing  and  feasting  my  eyes  on  the 
trout  playing  about  in  it.  To  say  the  pool  was 
full  of  fish  is  no  exaggeration;  all,  with  their 
heads  toward  the  little  stream,  were  gently  scull- 
ing their  tails  to  steady  themselves.  I  gazed 
upon  a  mass  of  fish,  big  and  little,  from  four 
ounces  to  three  pounds  in  weight. 

Having  sufiiciently  indulged  in  admiring  this 
host  of  trout  (the  like  of  which  I  had  never 
seen  before),  I  began  the  war.  Dropping  my 
'  sensation-fly  '  into  the  little  stream,  I  let  it  sink 
and  drift  into  the  pool.  Twenty  open  mouths 
rushed  at  it  ravenously,  and  trout  after  trout 
was  rapidly  landed  on  the  shingle.  I  continued 
this  scheme  until  a  heap  of  magnificent  fish 
were  piled  at  my  side,  and  the  pool  was  rapidly 
thinning.  One  crafty  old  fellow,  however,  that 
looked  about  three  pounds  in  weight,  defied  aU 
my  efforts  to  tempt  him.  I  let  the  fly  drift 
.  over  him,  under  his  nose,  above  his  nose ;  but 
he  scorned  it,  and,  if  he  could,  I  felt  he  would 
have  winked  his  eye  derisively  at  me. 


VI 


TROUT. 


83 


. 


To  have  him  I  was  determined :  so  sitting  down, 
I  scooped  out  the  eye  of  a  fish,  and  put  it  on  the 
point  of  the  flyhook,  then  let  it  drift  down  the 
stream  and  into  the  pool ;  steadily  it  neared  his 
nose,  and  in  breathless  expectation  I  awaited  the 
result.  He  was  evidently  uneasy,  and  knew  not 
what  to  do.  It  floated  past  him,  and  I  thought 
my  bait  had  failed ;  when  round  he  turned,  and 
dashing  viciously  at  it,  seized  (pardon  the  joke) 
the  hook  and  eye,  and  I  had  him  fast.  Being 
far  too  heavy  to  risk  jerking,  I  let  him  get  over 
his  furious  fit,  then  towed  him  ashore ;  hand  over 
hand  gathering  up  my  line,  I  got  close  to  him, 
and  seizing  him  behind  the  gills,  brought  him 
upon  the  shingle  ;  and  a  beauty  he  was! 

I  have  tried  various  expedients — more  as  expe- 
riments than  anything  else — ^to  find  out  what  bait 
these  trout  really  preferred.  Grasshoppers  they 
took  readily,  and  I  have  often  caught  a  trout 
when  only  one  leg  of  the  insect  remained  on 
the  hook ;  the  white  meat  from  the  tail  of  the 
river  crayfish  is  also  a  very  favourite  diet.  Earth- 
worms I  could  not  try,  because  they  do  not 
exist  in  British  Columbia.  But  all  my  trials  and 
experiments  failed  signally  in  discovering  any- 
thing that  could  at  all  compare  with  my  '  first 
fly.' 


a  2 


if         I 


■ 


84 


FISH   HARVESTING. 


The  trout  spawn  about  October,  or  perhaps  a 
little  later,  depositing  their  ova  in  gravel  in  the 
lesser  streams. 

Salmon  Trout. — Salmo  spectahilis  (Red-spot- 
ted Salmon  Trout),  Grd.  Proc.  Acad.,  Nat.  Soc. 

Phild.,  viii.  218 Sp.  Ch. :  Head  a  trifle  more 

than  a  fourth  of  the  total  length ;  maxillary  ex- 
tending to  a  vertical  line  drawn  posterior  to  the 
orbit.  Colour  of  the  back  dark-greenish,  inclining 
to  gi'ey,  a  lighter  shade  of  the  same  colour  on 
the  sides — beneath  silvery-white ;  thickly  marked 
above  the  lateral  line  with  yellowish  spots,  in- 
terspersed with  others  that  are  bright  red. 

Inhabits  and  distribution  the  salmon-trout  dif- 
fers in  every  respect  from  the  preceding.  There 
can  be  no  doubt  that  this  fish  is  anadromous,  and 
comes  up  into  the  rivers  to  spawn  at  particular 
periods  of  the  year,  like  the  salmon,  and  then 
returns  to  sea.  In  October  the  great  run  begins. 
Into  all  the  rivers  emptying  intoPuget's  Sound — 
the  Dwamish,  Nesqually,  Puyallup,  and  several 
others,  up  the  Fraser  and  its  tributaries,  into  all 
the  creeks  and  inlets  about  Vancouver  Island, 
crowd  in  shoal  after  shoal.  They  vary  in  size ;  I 
have  seldom  seen  them  exceed  three  pounds  in 
weight 

The  advent  of  these  trout  is  the  signal  for  a 


SALMON-TROUT. 


M 


;ral 
aU 

;I 

in 
)r  a 


general  Indian  fish-harvest.  The  banks  of  all  the 
little  streams  are  soon  dotted  with  temporary 
lodges,  and  every  one,  from  the  naked  little  ur- 
chin to  the  stalwart  chief,  wages  war  upon  these 
fish.  All  sorts  of  expedients  are  used  to  snare 
them.  Boys,  girls,  and  old  squaws  catch  them 
with  a  hook  and  line,  about  eight  or  ten  feet  long, 
tied  to  the  end  of  a  short  stick.  The  hook  (made 
of  bone  or  hard  wood)  is  baited  with  salmon-roe. 
The  Indians  never  use  the  roe  fresh ;  dried  in  the 
sun  it  becomes  extremely  tough,  and  acquires  a 
very  rank  oily  smell.  The  fish  take  it  greedily, 
and  in  this  manner  large  numbers  are  captured. 

Another  bait  equally  fatal  is  made  by  cutting  a 
small  strip  from  the  belly  of  a  trout,  and  keeping 
the  shiny  part  outermost — winding  it  tightly 
round  the  hook,  fi.'om  the  barb,  to  about  an 
inch  up  the  line,  securing  it  by  twisting  white 
horsehair  closely  round  it.  A  small  pebble  is 
slung  about  a  foot  from  the  b  <  i^^d  hook,  and  the 
line  tied  to  the  canoe-paddle  close  to  the  hand ; 
paddling  slowly  along,  this  bait  is  trolled  after 
the  canoe.  The  intention  is  manifestly  to  imi- 
tate a  small  fish,  as  we  troll  with  minnow  or 
spoon-bait  in  our  waters.  All  the  larger  fish  are 
generally  taken  in  this  way.  They  rise  readily  to 
a  gaudy  fly,  and  afford  admirable  sport. 


86 


FISH   HARVESTING. 


i 


But  the  great  haul  of  hauls  is  effected  by  a 
most  ingeniously-contrived  basket,  in  principle 
the  same  as  our  eel-baskets.  It  is  made  of  split 
vine-maple,  lashed  together  with  strips  of  cedar- 
bark.  These  baskets  vary  in  size ;  some  of  them 
are  fifteen  feet  long,  and  six  in  circumference. 
The  crafty  savages  place  their  wicker  traps  in  the 
centre  of  the  stream;  a  dam  of  latticework  on 
each  side  reaches  to  the  bank,  so  that  no  fish  can 
get  up-stream  unless  through  the  trap.  Another 
plan,  and  a  very  good  one  where  the  water  is 
shallow,  is  to  build  a  little  wall  of  boulders, 
rising  about  a  foot  above  water,  slanting  the  wall 
obliquely  until  the  ends  meet  in  the  centre  of 
the  stream  at  an  acute  angle ;  at  this  point  they 
place  the  basket.  By  this  plan  all  the  water  is 
forced  through  the  basket,  increasing  the  depth 
and  strength  of  the  current.  In  happy  ignorance 
of  their  danger,  the  fish  ply  steadily  up-current, 
until  they  suddenly  find  themselves  caged. 

When  a  suflicient  number  of  fish  are  in  the 
basket,  an  empty  one  is  carried  out  and  set,  the 
other  brought  ashore ;  its  contents  are  turned  out 
upon  the  grass.  Squaws,  old  and  young,  knife  in 
hand,  squat  round,  looking  eagerly  on ;  and  as  the 
captives  lie  flapping  on  the  sward,  in  the  harpies 
rush,  seize  a  trout,  rip  him  up,  remove  the  inside, 


»\ 


CANDLE-FISH. 


»7 


and  then  skewer  hira  open  with  two  sticks.  Poles, 
having  a  fork  at  the  end,  are  placed  firmly  in  the 
ground,  about  fifteen  feet  apart.  Other  sticks, 
barked  and  rubbed  very  smooth,  are  placed  in  these 
forked  ends,  on  which  the  split  trout  are  strung. 
Small  fires  are  kept  smouldering  below  the  strung- 
up  fish.  When  thoroughly  dry,  they  are  packed 
in  small  bales,  and  lashed  with  the  bark  of  the 
cedar-tree. 

Candle-fish. — The  Candle-fish  or  Eulachon, 
Salmo  {mallottLs)  Pacificus^  Rich.  F.  B.  A.,  p.  227; 
Thaleichthys  Pacificus^  Grd. — Sp.  Ch. :  Head 
somewhat  pointed  and  conical;  mouth  large, 
its  fissure  extending  back  to  the  anterior  mar- 
gin of  the  orbit;  opercule  terminated  by  a 
rounded  angle,  lower  jaw  projecting  a  little 
beyond  the  upper  one  ;  tongue  rough,  teeth 
on  the  phaiyngeals ;  lower  jaw,  palatines, 
and  vomer  devoid  of  teeth;  eye  rather  small; 
adipose  fin,  placed  opposite  the  hind  portion  of 
the  anal;  scales  subelliptical.  Dorsal  region 
greenish-olive  colour,  generally  silvery-white, 
sparsely  spotted  with  dirty  yellow ;  a  dark  spot, 
nearly  black,  over  each  orbit. 

A  human  body  is  a  kind  of  locomotive  furnace, 
that  has  to  be  kept  up  to  a  given  temperature 
by  fuel,  its  food.     Under  a  tropical  sun,   jiot 


\ 


\^ 


M  FISH   HARVESTING. 

much  fuel  is  needed,  and  that  of  a  sort  that  will 
not  keep  up  a  large  fire.  Man,  therefore,  wears 
clothes  made  from  a  vegetable  fibre,  and  eats 
fruit  and  rice,  the  lowest  in  the  scale  of  heat- 
making  materials.  Far  north  among  the  polar 
ice,  where  you  cannot  touch  metal  without  its 
taking  the  skin  off  your  fingers,  the  human 
locomotive  is  protected  "by  thick  coverings  of 
fur :  the  native  takes  the  jackets  from  his  furry- 
footed  companions,  and  covers  his  own  skin  with 
them.  But  the  grand  oil-springs — the  locomo- 
tive's necessary  coal-mines  in  another  form — are 
in  the  bodies  of  the  great  seals  and  whales.  Oil 
and  blubber  burn  rapidly,  and  give  out  a  large 
amount  of  heat.  With  a  fur-suit  outside,  and 
inside  a  feed  of  seal's  flesh  washed  down  with 
seal's  oil,  the  steam  of  life  is  kept  up  very  easily. 
But  all  the  fat  of  the  sea  is  not  in  the  bodies  of 
those  great  blubberi«^whales  and  seals.  There 
is  a  fish,  small  in  size,  not  larger  than  a  smelt, 
that  is  fat  beyond  all  description,  clad  in  glit- 
tering silver  armour,  and  found  on  the  coasts 
of  British  Columbia,  Russian  America,  Queen 
Charlotte  and  Vancouver  Islands,  which  is  called 
by  the  natives  Eulachon  or  Candle-fish.  I  have 
had  both  leisure  and  opportunity  to  make  this 
fish's   intimate    acquaintance;    played    the    spy 


\ 


CANDLE-FISH. 


09 


upon   its   habits,  its  coming  and  going,  and  have 
noted  how  it  is  caught  and  cured. 

Picture  my  home — an  Indian  village,  on  the 
north  shore  of  British  Columbia.  The  village  is 
prettily  situated  on  a  rocky  point  of  land,  chosen, 
as  all  Indian  villages  are,  with  an  eye  to  preven- 
tion of  surprise  from  concealed  foes.  Rearward 
it  is  guarded  by  a  steep  hill,  and  it  commands 
from  the  front  the  entrance  to  one  of  those  long 
canals,  which,  as  I  have  previously  stated,  resemble 
the  fiords  of  Norway,  often  running  thirty  or  forty 
miles  inland. 

The  dwellings  consist  of  ten  or  fifteen  rude 
sheds,  about  twenty  yards  long  and  twelve  wide, 
built  of  rough  cedar-planks ;  the  roof  u  single 
slant  covered  with  poles  and  rushes.  Six  or 
eight  families  live  in  each  shed.  Every  family 
has  its  own  fire  on  the  ground,  and  the  smoke, 
that  must  find  its  way  out  as  best  it  can  through 
cracks  and  holes  (chimneys  being  objected  to), 
hangs  in  a  dense  upper  cloud,  so  that  a  man 
can  only  keep  his  head  out  of  it  by  squatting  on 
the  ground :  to  stand  up  is  to  run  a  risk  of  suffo- 
cation. The  children  of  all  ages,  in  droves,  naked 
and  filthy,  live  under  the  smoke;  as  well  as 
squaws,  who  squat  round  the  smouldering  logs;  in- 
numerable dogs,  like  starving  wolves,  prick-eared, 


90 


FISH   HARVESTING. 


sore-eyed,  snappish  brutes,  unceasingly  engaged 
in  faction-fights  and  sudden  duels,  in  which  the 
whole  pack  immediately  takes  sides.  Felt,  but 
not  heard,  are  legions  of  bloodthirsty  fleas,  that 
would  try  their  best  to  suck  blood  from  a  boot, 
and  by  combined  exertions  would  soon  flay  alive 
any  man  with  a  clean  and  tender  skin. 

The  moon,  near  its  full,  creeps  upward  from 
behind  the  hills;  stars  one  by  one  are  lighted 
in  the  sky — not  a  cloud  flecks  the  clear  blue. 
The  Indians  are  busy  launching  their  canoes, 
preparing  war  against  the  candle-fish,  which 
they  catch  when  they  come  to  the  surface  to 
sport  in  the  moonlight.  As  the  rising  moon 
now  clears  the  shadow  of  the  hills,  her  rays 
slant  down  on  the  green  sea,  just  rippled  by  the 
land-breeze.  And  now,  like  a  vast  sheet  of 
pearly  nacre,  we  may  see  the  glittering  shoals 
of  the  fish — the  water  seems  alive  with  them. 
Out  glides  the  dusky  Indian  fleet,  the  paddles 
stealthily  plied  by  hands  far  too  experienced  to 
let  a  splash  be  heard.  There  is  not  a  whisper, 
not  a  sound,  but  the  measured  rhythm  of  many 
paddlers,  as  the  canoes  are  sent  flying  towards 
the  fish. 

To  catch  them,  the  Indians  use  a  monster  comb 
or  rake,  a  piece  of  pinewood  from  six  to  eight 


i 


CANDLE-FISH. 


91 


^7 


feet  long,  made  round  for  about  two  feet  of  its 
length,  at  the  place  of  the  hand-grip ;  the  rest  is 
flat,  thick  at  the  back,  but  thinning  to  a  sharp 
edge,  into  which  are  driven  teeth  about  four 
inches  long,  and  an  inch  apart.  These  teeth 
are  usually  made  of  bone,  but,  when  the  Indian 
fishers  can  get  sharp-pointed  iron  nails,  they 
prefer  them.  One  Indian  sits  in  the  stem 
of  each  canoe  to  paddle  it  along,  keeping 
close  to  the  shoal  of  fish  ;  another,  having 
the  rounded  part  of  the  rake  firmly  fixed  in 
both  hands,  stands  with  his  face  to  the  bow 
of  the  canoe,  the  teeth  pointing  stemwards. 
He  then  sweeps  it  through  the  glittering  mass 
of  fish,  using  all  his  force,  and  brings  it  to 
the  surface  teeth  upwards,  usually  with  a  fish 
impaled,  sometimes  with  three  or  four  upon 
one  tooth.  The  rake  being  brought  into  the 
canoe,  a  sharp  rap  on  the  back  of  it  knocks  the 
fish  off,  and  then  another  sweep  yields  a  similar 
catch. 

It  is  wonderful  to  see  how  rapidly  an  Indian  will 
fill  his  canoe  by  this  rude  method  of  fishing.  The 
dusky  forms  of  the  savages  bend  over  the  canoes, 
their  brawny  arms  sweep  their  toothed  sickles 
through  the  shoals,  stroke  follows  stroke  in 
swift    succession,   and   steadily   the   canoes  fill 


92 


FISH   HARVESTING. 


with  their  harvest  of  *  living  silver.'  When  they 
have  heaped  as  much  as  this  frail  craft  will 
safely  carry,  they  paddle  ashore,  drag  the  boats 
up  on  the  shelving  beach,  overturn  them  as 
the  quickest  way  of  discharging  cargo,  relaunch, 
and  go  back  to  rake  up  another  load.  This 
labour  goes  on  until  the  moon  has  set  behind 
the  mountain-peaks  and  the  fish  disappear,  for 
it  is  their  habit  rarely  to  come  to  the  surface 
except  in  the  night.  The  sport  over,  we  glide 
under  the  dark  rocks,  haul  up  the  canoe,  and  lie 
before  the  log-fire  to  sleep  long  and  soundly. 

The  next  labour  is  that  of  the  squaws,  who 
have  to  do  the  curing,  drying,  and  oil-making. 
Seated  in  a  circle,  they  are  busy  stringing  the 
fish.  They  do  not  gut  or  in  any  way  clean  them, 
but  simply  pass  long  smooth  sticks  through 
their  eyes,  skewering  on  each  stick  as  many  as 
it  will  hold,  and  then  lashing  a  smaller  piece  trans- 
versely across  the  ends,  to  prevent  the  fish  from 
slipping  off  the  skewer.  This  done,  next  follows 
the  drying,  which  is  generally  achieved  in  the 
thick  smoke  at  the  top  of  the  sheds,  the  sticks  of 
fish  being  there  hung  up  side  by  side.  They  soon 
dry,  and  acquire  a  flavour  of  wood-smoke,  which 
helps  also  to  preserve  them.  No  salt  is  used 
by  Indians  in  any  of  their  systems  of  curing  fish. 


4 


CANDLE-nSH. 


93 


When  dry,  the  candle-fish  are  carefully  packed 
in  large  frails  made  from  cedar-bark  or  rushes, 
much  like  those  one  buys  for  a  penny  at  Billings- 
gate ;  then  they  are  stowed  away  on  high  stages 
made  of  poles,  like  a  rough  scaffolding.  This 
precaution  is  essential,  for  the  Indian  children 
and  dogs  have  an  amiable  weakness  for  eatables ; 
and  as  lock-and-key  are  unknown  to  the  red- 
skins, they  take  this  way  of  baffling  the  appetites 
of  the  incorrigible  pilferers.  The  bales  are  kept 
until  required  for  winter.  However  hungry  or 
however  short  of  food  an  Indian  family  may  be 
during  summer-time,  it  seldom  will  break  in 
upon  the  winter  '  cache.' 

I  have  never  seen  any  fish  half  as  fat  and  as 
good  for  Arctic  winter-food  as  these  little  candle- 
fish.  It  is  next  to  impossible  to  broil  or  fry 
them,  for  they  melt  completely  into  oil.  Some 
idea  of  their  marvellous  fatness  may  be  gleaned 
from  the  fact,  that  the  natives  use  them  as 
lamps  for  lighting  their  lodges.  The  fish,  when 
dried,  has  a  piece  of  rush-pith,  or  a  strip  from 
the  inner  bark  of  the  cypress-tree  {Thuja 
gigantea\  drawn  through  it,  a  long  round  needle 
made  of  hard  wood  being  used  for  the  purpose ; 
it  is  then  lighted,  and  bums  steadily  until  con- 
sumed.    I  have  read  comfortably  by  its  light; 


mm 


94 


FISH   HARVESTING. 


the  candlestick,  literally  a  stick  for  the  candle, 
consists  of  a  bit  of  wood  split  at  one  end,  with 
the  fish  inserted  in  the  cleft. 

These  ready-made  sea-candles  —  little  dips 
wanting  only  a  wick  that  can  be  added  in  a 
minute  —  are  easily  transformed  by  heat  and 
pressure  into  liquid.  When  the  Indian  drinks 
instead  of  burning  them,  he  gets  a  fuel  in  the 
shape  of  oil,  that  keeps  up  the  combustion  with- 
in him,  and  which  is  burnt  and  consumed  in 
the  lungs  just  as  it  was  by  the  wick,  but  only 
gives  heat.  It  is  by  no  mere  chance  that  myriads 
of  small  fish,  in  obedience  to  a  wondrous  instinct, 
annually  visit  the  northern  seas,  containing  with- 
in themselves  all  the  elements  necessary  for  sup- 
plying light,  heat,  and  life  to  the  poor  savage, 
who,  but  for  this,  must  perish  in  the  bitter  cold 
of  the  long  dreary  winter. 

As  soon  as  the  Indians  have  stored  away  the 
full  supply  of  food  for  the  winter,  all  the  fish 
subsequently  taken  are  converted  into  oil.  If  we 
stroll  down  to  the  lodges  near  the  beach,  we  shall 
see  for  ourselves  how  they  manage  it.  The  fish 
reserved  for  oil-making  have  been  piled  in  heaps 
until  partially  decomposed;  five  or  six  fires  are 
blazing  away,  and  in  each  fire  are  a  number 
of  large  round  pebbles,  to  be  made  very  hot. 


CANDLE-FISH. 


M 


By  each  fire  are  four  large  square  boxes,  made 
from  the  trunk  of  the  pine-tree.  A  squaw  care- 
fully piles  in  each  box  a  layer  of  fish  about  three- 
deep,  and  covers  them  with  cold  wdter.  She 
then  puts  five  or  six  of  the  hot  stones  upon  the 
layers  of  fish,  and  when  the  steam  has  cleared 
away,  carefully  lays  small  pieces  of  wood  over  the 
stones  ;  then  more  fish,  more  water,  more  stones, 
more  layers  of  wood,  and  so  on,  until  the  box  is 
filled.  The  oil-maker  now  takes  all  the  liquid  from 
this  box,  and  uses  it  over  again  instead  of  water 
in  filling  another  box,  and  skims  the  oil  off  as  it 
floats  on  the  surface. 

A  vast  quantity  of  oil  is  thus  obtained ;  often 
as  much  as  seven  hundredweight  will  be  made 
by  one  small  tribe.  The  refuse  fish  are  not  yet 
done  with,  more  oil  being  extractible  from  them. 
Built  against  the  pine-tree  is  a  small  stage,  made 
of  poles,  very  like  a  monster  gridiron.  The  re- 
fuse of  the  boxes,  having  been  sewn  up  in  porous 
mats,  is  placed  on  the  stage,  to  be  rolled  and 
pressed  by  the  aims  and  chests  of  Indian  women ; 
and  the  oil  thus  squeezed  out  is  collected  in 
a  box  placed  underneath. 

Not  only  has  Nature,  ever  bountiful,  sent  an 
abundance  of  oil  to  the  redskin,  but  she  actually 
provides  ready-made  bottles  to  store  it  away  in. 


96 


FISH   HARVESTING. 


The  great  seawrack,  that  grows  to  an  immense 
size  in  these  northern  seas,  and  forms  submarine 
forests,  has  a  hollow  stalk,  expanded  into  a  com- 
plete flask  at  the  root-end.  Cut  into  lengths  of 
about  three  feet,  these  hollow  stalks,  with  the 
bulb  at  the  end,  are  collected  and  kept  wet  until 
required  for  use.  As  the  oil  is  obtained,  it  is 
stored  away  in  these  natural  quart-bottles,  or 
rather  larger  bottles,  for  some  of  them  hold  three 
pints. 

Some  fifty  years  ago,  vast  shoals  of  eulachon 
used  regularly  to  enter  the  Columbia;  but  the 
silent  stroke  of  the  Indian  paddle  has  now  given 
place  to  the  splashing  wheels  of  great  steamers, 
and  the  Indian  and  the  candle-fish  have  vanished 
together.  From  the  same  causes  the  eulachon 
has  also  disappeared  from  Puget's  Sound,  and  is 
now  seldom  caught  south  of  latitude  50°  N. 


ROUND-FISH. 


97 


CHAPTER  IV. 


THE  ROUND-FISH,  HERRINGS,  AND  VIVIPAROUS  FISH. 


I 


The  Round-fish  (Coregonus  quadrilateralis). — 
Sp.  Ch, :  Colour,  yellowish-brown,  paler  on  the 
sides  and  belly  than  on  the  back;  scales  bright 
and  glittering,  each  edged  with  a  narrow  border 
of  dark-grey ;  cheeks,  fins,  and  tail,  a  deeper  tint  of 
the  same  colour  as  that  on  the  back ;  head  one- 
sixth  of  the  length  (without  the  caudal) ;  mouth 
very  small,  under-jaw  shorter  than  the  upper — 
no  teeth  perceptible.  * 

This  fish  has  a  very  wide  geographical  range, 
being  found  as  far  north  (according  to  Sir  J. 
Richardson)  as  the  Mackenzie  and  Copper- 
mine rivers,  east  of  the  Rocky  Mountains,  and 
latitude  49°  N.  the  western  side ;  how  much 
farther  they  range  north  of  49°  1  had  no  oppor- 
tunity of  judging. 

This  handsome  and  delicious  fish,  one  of  the 
Salmonidce,  is  most  valuable  as  an  article  of  food 
to  the  Indians,  west  of  the  Rocky  Mountains, 

VOL.  I.  H 


r 


98 


FISH   HARVESTING. 


the  White-fish  {Coregowus  albus\  or  '  Attihaw- 
meg '  (which  means  *  reindeer  of  the  sea '),  being 
of  like  importance  to  those  residing  east  of  the 
mountains.  There  the  Indians  frequently  have 
to  subsist  entirely  on  white-fish,  and,  at  many 
of  the  fur-trading  stations,  the  traders  get  very 
little  else  to  eat  during  nine  months  of  the 
twelve. 

'  In  one  small  lake  (Lake  St.  Ann's),  near  Fort 
Edmonton,  forty  thousand  white-fish  were  taken, 
of  an  average  weight  of  three  to  four  pounds,  in 
the  course  of  three  weeks.'     {Palliser's  Exp,) 

Two  modes  are  adopted  for  preserving  them — 
one  that  of  sun-drying,  the  other  by  freezing,  in 
which  state  they  may  be  kept  perfectly  sweet 
and  fi'ee  from  taint  for  the  whole  winter. 

The  Round-fish  is  seldom  taken  over  two 
pounds  in  weight,  and  prior  to  spawning  they 
are  loaded  with  fat,  which  on  the  shoulders  almost 
amounts  to  a  hump,  but  becomes  thin,  watery, 
and  insipid,  after  the  all-important  duty  of  pro- 
viding for  their  off^spi'ing  is  accomplished.  I  am 
not  quite  sure  when  they  return  to  the  sea,  as 
nothing  is  seen  of  them  after  the  ice  sets  in, 
towards  the  end  of  November,  until  their  arrival 
on  the  following  year.  The  ova  are  deposited  in 
much  the  same  way  as  that  of  other  Salmonidce : 


i 


y. 


ROUND'FISH. 


99 


a  hollow  made  in  the  gravel  contains  the  eggs 
and  milt,  which  are  covered  over  and  abandoned — 
the  young  fish,  on  its  emergence  from  the  egg, 
taking  care  of  itself  as  best  it  can. 

One  may  journey  a  long  way  to  witness  a 
prettier  or  more  picturesque  sight  than  Round- 
fish  harvesting  on  the  Sumass  prairie  :  the 
prairie  bright  and  lovely  ;  the  grass  fresh,  green, 
and  waving  lazily ;  various  wild  flowers,  peeping 
coyly  out  from  their  cosy  hiding-places,  seem 
making  the  most  of  the  summer ;  a  fresh,  joyous 
hilarity  everywhere,  pervading  even  the  Indians, 
whose  lodges  in  great  numbers  lie  scattered  about. 
From  the  edges  of  the  pine-forest,  where  the 
little  streams  came  out  from  the  dark  shadow 
into  the  sunshine,  up  to  the  lake,  the  prairie  was 
like  a  fair.  Indians,  old  and  young ;  chiefs,  braves, 
squaws,  children,  and  slaves ;  were  alike  busy  in 
capturing  the  round-fish,  that  were  swarming  up 
the  streams  in  thousands :  so  thick  were  they  that 
baits  and  traps  were  thrown  aside,  and  hands, 
baskets,  little  nets,  and  wooden  bowls  did  the 
work;  it  was  only  requisite  to  stand  in  the 
stream  and  bale  out  the  fish.  Thousands  were 
drying,  thousands  had  been  eaten,  and  as  many 
more  were  wasting  and  decomposing  on  the 
bank.    Supposing  every  fish  escaping  the  Indians, 

B   2 


100 


FISH    HARVESTING. 


otters,  and  the  various  enemies  that  it  meets  with 
in  ascending  the  rivers,  succeeded  in  depositing 
its  ova,  where  or  how  they  find  room  to  spawn, 
or  what  becomes  of  the  offspring,  is  more  than  I 
know. 

Round-fish  are  cured  by  splitting  and  sun- 
drying,  precisely  in  the  same  manner  as  salmon. 
I  have  had  very  good  sport  angling  for  round- 
fish,  by  using  a  rough  gaudy  fly.  They  rise 
readily,  and  struggle  obstinately,  when  hooked, 
but  soon  give  up ;  turning  on  their  side,  they 
])ermit  themselves  to  be  dragged  upon  the  bank 
■without  attempting  a  flap  of  resistance. 

Some  of  these  fish  remain  permanently,  or  at 
any  rate  for  some  time,  in  fresh-water.  I  have 
often  taken  them  in  the  Na-hoil-a-pit-ka  river,  to 
get  into  which  they  must  have  leaped  the 
Kettle  Falls  during  a  high  flood,  being  quite 
800  miles  from  the  sea ;  and  as  they  are  caught 
in  the  spring,  I  think  it  fair  to  conclude  they  do 
not  invariably  return  to  the  sea  after  spawning. 

Herrings. — The  Vancouver  Island  Herring 
(Malletta  ccerulia^  Grd.) — Sp.  Ch.i  Head,  about 
one-fifth  of  the  total  length  of  the  body,  slender, 
its  shape  in  profile  somewhat  fusiform;  back, 
bright  steel-blue  colour,  shading  away  on  the 
sides  to  brilliant  silvery- white ;  fins,  yellow- white, 


HERRINGS. 


101 


but  uniform  in  colour ;  posterior  extremity  of 
maxillary  bone  extending  to  a  vertical  line  drawn 
through  the  middle  of  the  orbit ;  eye,  subcircular, 
large;  colour,  copper-red  in  the  freshly- caught 
fish ;  anterior  margin  of  the  dorsal  fin,  nearer  the 
extremity  of  the  snout  than  the  insertion  of  the 
caudal.  The  average  length  is  somewhat  about 
ten  inches.  Indian  name  along  the  coast,  Stole  ; 
Skadget  Indian,  Lo-see. 

There  are  three  distinct  herring  arrivals,  one 
beginning  in  February  and  March;  these  fish 
are  small,  and  somewhat  lean.  About  the  be- 
ginning of  April  the  run  commences;  these 
are  finer,  full  of  spawn,  and  in  high  condition : 
in  June  and  July,  and  extending  through  the 
summer,  small  shoals  occasionally  make  their 
appearance,  but  never  as  fine  as  the  April  fish. 

Toward  the  middle  of  April  herring  legions 
commence  arriving  from  seaward  in  real  earnest ; 
brigade  follows  brigade  in  rapid  succession,  until 
every  bay,  harbour,  inlet,  estuary,  and  lagoon  is 
literally  alive  with  them.  Close  in  their  rear, 
as  camp-followers  hang  on  the  skirts  of  an  army, 
come  •  shoals  of  dogfish,  salmon,  and  fish-eating 
sea-birds. 

I  have  often  seen  a  shoal  of  herrings,  when 
hotly  pursued  by  the  dogfish,  dash  into  a  little 


lot 


FISH   HARVESTING. 


rock-bound  nook,  the  water  lashed  into  white 
spray  by  a  thousand  tails  and  fins,  plied  with 
all  the  power  and  energy  the  poor  struggling 
fish  could  exert  to  escape  the  dreaded  foe.  A 
wall  of  rocks,  ri*^^]>t  and  left,  ahead  the  shelving 
shingle — on  they  go,  and  hundreds  lie  high- 
and-dry,  panting  on  the  pebbles.  It  is  just  as 
well  perhaps  to  die  there,  as  to  be  torn,  bitten, 
and  eaten  by  the  piratical  cannibals  that  are 
waging  fearful  havoc  on  the  imprisoned  shoal. 
The  dogfish  wound  ten  times  as  many  as  they 
eat,  and,  having  satiated  and  gorged  their  greedy 
stomachs,  s\vim  lazily  away,  leaving  the  dead, 
dying,  and  disabled  to  the  tender  mercies  of  the 
sea-birds  watching  the  battle,  ever  ready  to 
pounce  upon  the  unprotected,  and  end  its  miseries. 

Garnering  the  herring-crop  is  the  Coast  Indian's 
best  *  sea-harvest ; '  lodges  spring  up  like  mush- 
rooms along  the  edges  of  the  bays  and  harbours ; 
large  fleets  of  canoes  dot  the  water  in  every  di- 
rection, their  swarthy  crews  continually  loading 
them  with  glittering  fish  ;  paddling  ashore,  they 
hand  the  cargo  to  the  female  part  of  the  commu- 
nity, and  then  start  again  for  a  similar  freight. 

Indians  have  various  plans  for  catchingherrings. 
Immense  numbers  are  taken  with  small  hand- 
nets,  literally  dipping  them  out  of  the  water  into 


i 

I 


HERRINGS. 


103 


the  canoes  ;  they  also  employ  the  *rake/  already 
described  as  used  for  taking  candle-fish.  One 
savage,  sitting  in  t\w  stern  of  his  canoe,  paddles 
along,  kf^eping  in  the  herring  shoal;  another, 
having  the  rounded  part  of  the  rake  firmly  fixed 
in  both  hands,  sweeps  it  through  the  crowded 
fish,  from  before  aft,  using  all  his  force :  gene- 
rally speaking,  every  tooth  has  a  herring  im- 
paled on  it,  sometimes  three  or  four.  It  is 
astonishing  how  rapidly  an  Indian  will  fill 
his  canoe  with  herrings,  using  this  rude  and 
primitive  contrivance. 

A  wholesale  system  of  capture  is  practised 
in  Puget's  Sound,  Point  Discovery,  and  Port 
Townsend,  where  large  mud -flats  run  out  for 
long  distances  into  the  sea,  which  are  left  quite 
dry  at  low-tide.  Across  these  flats  Indians 
make  long  dams  of  latticework,  having  here  and 
there  openings  like  our  salmon-traps,  allow- 
ing herrings  to  pass  easily  in,  but  preventing 
their  return.  Shoal  after  shoal  pass  through 
these  *  gates,'  but  are  destined  never  to  get  back 
to  their  briny  home.  It  is  not  at  all  uncommon 
to  take  from  two  to  three  tons  of  fish  at  one  tide, 
by  this  simple  but  ingenious  method. 

When  the  tide  is  well  out,  and  the  flats  clear 
of  water,  the  Indians  bring  down  immense  quan- 


104 


FISH   HARVESTING. 


titles  of  fir-branches,  and  stick  them  in  the  mud, 
lay  them  on  the  ground,  and,  in  all  sorts  of  ways, 
distribute  them  over  the  flats,  within  the  weir- 
dam.  On  these  branches  the  herring-spawn 
gets  entangled ;  when  covered  with  spawn  the 
branches  are  carried  to  the  lodges,  and  the 
fish-eggs  dried  in  the  sun.  Thus  dried,  and 
brushed  into  baskets,  it  is  in  appearance  very 
much  like  coarse  brown  sand ;  it  is  then  stored 
away,  and  when  eaten  mixed  with  fish-oil  is 
esteemed  by  the  Indians  as  the  very  perfection 
of  feeding.  This  spawn  is  to  Indians  what  caviare 
is  to  Russians;  but  as  I  do  not  like  either,  it 
may  be  I  am  not  an  authority  on  its  merits  as  a 
table  dainty. 

All  herrings  taken  in  the  weirs  are  not  eaten ; 
the  Indians  diy  or  otherwise  preserve  them,  but 
the  great  use  to  which  they  appropriate  them 
is  to  extract  the  oil.  This  is  a  grand  process, 
and  carried  on  entirely  by  squaws.  It  would 
be  a  great  blessing,  and  save  much  annoyance, 
if  you  could  only  leave  your  nose  at  home,  or 
at  some  distance  away,  during  your  visit  to  an 
Indian  village  in  herring-time,  or  whilst  oil- 
making.  The  entire  atmosphere  appears  satu- 
rated with  the  odour  of  decomposing  fish,  rancid 
oil,  Indians,  and  dogs — a  perfume  the  potency 


HERRINGS. 


105 


but 

Ithem 

icess, 

ould 

ce, 

or 

an 

oil- 

satu- 

Incid 

jncy 


Ij 


of  which  you  only  realise  by  having  a  thorough 
good  sniff.  Then,  if  you  ever  forget  it,  or  wish 
to  indulge  your  olfactory  organ  again,  your  tastes 
and  mine,  gentle  reader,  must  widely  differ.  The 
oil  is  extracted  and  stored  away  (as  described 
in  a  previous  chapter)  in  native  bottles. 

I  have  no  hesitation  in  stating  my  con  miction 
that  herring-fisheries  established  east  and  west  of 
Vancouver  Island,  or  at  different  points  along 
the   mainland  coast,   in  the  Straits  of  Juan  de 
Feuca,  or  amidst  the  islands  in  the  Gulf  of  Georgia, 
would  turn  out  most  remunerative  speculations. 
It  is  true  that  herring-fishing  has  been  tried, 
but  only  on  the  most  limited  scale.     To  make  it 
pay ;  for  that,  after  all,  is  the  primary  considera- 
tion ;  capital  must  be  employed,  and  skilled  hands 
to  manage  the  drying,  curing,  and  packing.     Salt 
can  be  obtained  in  any  quantities ;  wood  in  abun- 
dance, to  make   casks,  build   houses,  boats,  or 
ships  ;  herrings  wi^m  millions^  requiring  neither 
risk  nor  skill  to  catch.      The   rapidly-growing 
colonies  of  Vancouver  Island  and  British  Colum- 
bia offer  ready  markets  for  home  consumption; 
China,  Japan,  the   Sandwich   Islands,  and  the 
entire  coast  southward  from  San  Francisco  to 
Mexico,  afford  facilities  for  disposing  of  almost 
any  quantity  of  preserved  fish.     Those  who  un- 


I!  '     f 


a 


WS  I       ! 


:i 


106 


FISH   HARVESTING. 


dertake  herring-fishing  in  North-western  waters 
on  a  large  scale,  judiciously  applying  capital, 
skilled  labour,  and  good  management,  will  reap 
an  ample  harvest,  and  become  the  real  '  Herring 
Kings  '  of  the  far  North-west. 

Viviparous  FiSH.-i-We  are  so  accustomed  to 
associate  the  production  of  young  fishes  with 
eggs  and  milt,  familiar  to  all  as  hard  and  soft  roe 
in  the  cured  herring,  that  it  is  difficult  to  believe 
in  the  existence  of  a  fish  bringing  forth  live 
young,  just  as  do  dogs,  cats,  rats,  and  mice — only 
with  this  difference,  that,  in  the  case  of  the  fish, 
the  young  are  perfect  in  every  detail,  when 
launched  into  the  water,  as  the  parent,  and  swim 
away  self-dependent,  to  feed  or  be  fed  on,  as 
good  or  ill-luck  befals  the  little  wanderer.  The 
woodcut  represents  the  female  fish  with  the 
young  in  situ,  together  with  others  scattered 
round  her,  having  fallen  out  when  the  walls  of 
thp  abdomen  were  dissected  open :  the  drawing' 
was  made  from  a  female  fish  I  brought  from 
Vancouver  Island,  and  now  exhibiting  in  the 
Fish  Room  of  the  British  Museum. 

At  San  Francisco,  as  early  as  April,  I  saw  large 
numbers  of  viviparous  fish  in  the  market  for 
sale;  but  then,  it  is  an  open  question  whether 
these  fish  really  arrive  at  an  earlier  period  of 


; 


as 


ler 
of 


% 


(a 
P 

Q 


g 


I  i 


VIVIPAROUS   FISH. 


107 


the  year  in  the  Bay  of  San  Francisco  than  at 
Vancouver  Island.  I  think  not.  That  they  are 
taken  earlier  in  the  year  is  simply  due  to  the 
fact,  that  the  fishermen  at  San  Francisco  have 
better  nets  and  fish  in  deeper  water,  than  the 
Indians,  and  consequently  take  the  fish  earlier. 
The  habit  of  the  fish  is  clearly  to  come  into 
shallow  water  when  the  period  arrives  for  pro- 
ducing its  live  young ;  and  from  the  fact  that 
some  of  these  fish  are  occasionally  taken  at  all 
periods  of  the  year,  I  am  induced  to  believe  that 
they  do  not  in  reality  migrate,  but  only  retire 
into  deeper  water  along  the  coast,  there  to 
remain  during  the  winter  months,  reappearing 
in  the  shallow  bays  and  estuaries  in  June  and 
July,  or  perhaps  earlier,  for  reproductive  pur- 
poses; here  they  remain  until  September,  and 
then  entirely  disappear. 

They  swim  close  to  the  surface  in  immense 
shoals,  and  numbers  are  very  craftily  taken  by 
the  Indians,  who  literally  frighten  the  fish  into 
their  canoes.  At  low-tide,  when  a  shoal  of  fish 
is  in  the  bay,  or  up  one  of  those  large  inlets  that 
intersect  the  coast-line,  the  savages  get  the 
fish  between  the  bank  (or  the  rocks,  as  it  may 
be)  and  the  canoe,  and  then  paddle  with  all  their 
might    and    main  among    the    terror-stricken 


108 


FISn   HARVESTING. 


I. 


fish,  lashing  the  sea  with  their  paddles,  and  ut- 
tering the  most  fiendish  yells.  Out  leap  the  fish 
from  the  water,  in  their  panic  to  escape  this  (to 
their  affrighted  senses)  terrible  monster;  and  if 
not  '  out  of  the  fiyingpan  into  the  fire,'  it  is  out 
of  the  sea  into  the  canoes — which  in  the  long 
run  I  take  to  be  pretty  much  the  same  thing. 

It  appears  to  be  a  singular  trait  in  the  cha- 
racter of  viviparous  fish,  that  of  leaping  high 
out  of  the  water  on  the  slightest  alarm.  I  have 
often  seen  them  jump  into  my  boat  when  rowing 
through  a  shoal,  which  is  certainly  most  accom- 
modating. The  Indians  also  spear  them:  they 
use  a  long  slender  haft  with  four  barbed  points, 
arranged  in  a  circle,  but  bent  so  as  to  make  them 
stand  at  a  considerable  distance  from  each  other. 
With  this  spear  they  strike  into  a  shoal  of  fish, 
and  generally  impale  three  or  four;  many  are 
caught  with  hooks,  but  they  bite  shily,  the  only 
baits  I  have  seen  taken  being  salmon-roe  nearly 
putrid,  or  bits  of  crab. 

Just  prior  to  my  leaving  Vancouver  Island, 
numbers  were  netted  by  some  Italian  fishermen 
who  had  a  seine.  They  found  a  ready  sale 
for  them  in  the  market,  but  as  a  table-dainty  they 
are  scarcely  worth  eating;  the  flesh  is  insipid, 
watery,  and  flabby,  and  I  am  convinced  +hat  no 


VIVIPAROUS   FISH. 


109 


no 


system  of  cooking  or  culinary  skill  would  ever 
convert  it  into  a  palatable  fish. 

The  geographical  range  of  viviparous  fish,  as  far 
as  I  have  any  opportunity  of  judging,  is  from  the 
Bay  of  San  Francisco  to  Sitka.  It  may  perhaps 
(and  I  have  but  little  doubt  that  it  does)  extend 
much  farther  south  along  the  Mexican  coast ;  but 
this  I  can  only  surmise,  never  having  seen  them 
beyond  the  limits  above  stated.  It  frequents  all 
the  bays  and  harbours  on  the  east  and  west  sides 
of  Vancouver  Island,  and  is  equally  abundant  in 
the  Gulf  of  Georgia  and  the  Straits  of  Juan  de 
Feuca;  making  its  appearance  about  the  same 
period,  or  perhaps  somewhat  earlier,  in  the  va- 
rious inlets  on  the  Oregon  coast,  from  Cape  Flat- 
tery to  the  Bay  of  San  Francisco.  It  will  be  just 
as  well  perhaps,  before  I  go  into  the  subject  of 
its  specific  characters  and  singular  reproductive 
organs,  I  should  mention  how  I  first  stumbled 
upon  the  fact  of  its  being  viviparous. 

Soon  after  I  arrived  at  Vancouver  Island,  I  at 
once  set  to  work  to  investigate,  as  far  as  it  lay  in 
my  power,  the  habits  and  periods  of  migration  of 
the  different  species  of  fish  periodically  visiting 
the  North-west  coast.  The  sole  means  then  at 
my  disposal  to  obtain  fish  for  examination,  or  as 
specimens  to  send  home,  was  to  employ  Indians 


110 


FISH   HARVESTING. 


I 


or  catch  them  myself;  so  it  happened,  some  of 
these  fish  were  first  brought  me  by  Indians. 
Cutting  one  do\vn  the  side  (the  plan  I  usually 
adopt  to  skin  a  fish,  keeping  the  opposite  side 
untouched),  to  my  intense  surprise,  out  tumbled 
a  lot  of  little  fish !  My  wildest  dreams  had  never 
led  me  to  suppose  a  fish  I  then  thought  was  a 
bream,  or  one  of  the  perch  family,  could  be  vivi- 
parous. I  at  once  most  hastily  arrived  at  the 
conclusion  that  the  greedy  gourmand  had  eaten 
them.  Dropping  my  knife,  I  sat  in  a  most  be- 
wildered state  looking  at  the  fish. 

The  first  ray  of  light  that  shone  in  to  illumine 
my  mystification  seemed  to  spring  from  the  fact, 
that  each  little  fish  was  the  model,  counterpart, 
and  facsimile  of  the  larger,  and  in  shape,  size, 
:  nd  colour  were  exactly  alike :  from  the  position 
too  they  occupied  in  the  abdomen  of  the  larger 
fish,  I  was  led  at  once  to  see  the  error  of  my 
first  assumption,  that  they  had  been  swallowed. 
Carefully  dissecting  back  the  walls  of  the  abdo- 
men, I  discovered  a  delicate  membranous  bag  or 
sac  having  an  attachment  to  the  upper  or  dorsal 
region,  and  doubled  upon  itself  into  numerous 
folds  or  plaits,  and  between  each  of  these  folds 
was  neatly  packed  away  a  little  fish ;  the  bag  was 
of  a  bluish-white  colour,  and  contained  fourteen 


ii  III 


^^ 


VIVIPAROUS  FISH. 


Ill 


fish.  I  had  no  longer  any  doubt  that  the  fish 
was  viviparous,  and  that  it  was  a  true  and  normal 
case  of  ovarian  gestation.  So  much  for  my  first 
discovery;  the  details  of  my  subsequent  exami- 
nations I  shall  again  have  occasion  to  refer  to. 

It  happened  most  curiously  that  a  Mr.  Jackson 
(I  believe  a  government  officer  of  the  United 
States)  was,  about  this  same  period,  amusing 
himself  by  fishing  at  Salsalita,  and  caught  two 
viviparous  fish,  a  male  and  a  female.  On  cutting 
open  the  female,  to  obtain  a  piece  of  the  belly  for 
bait,  he,  like  myself,  was  astonished  at  seeing  a 
whole  bevy  of  tiny  fish  come  scrambling  out,  and 
at  first  imagined,  as  I  did,  that  they  had  been 
swallowed.  He  immediately  wrote  a  letter  to 
Professor  Agassiz,  sending  the  mutilated  fish, 
having  previously  satisfied  himself  that  they  had 
not  been  devoured,  and  stating  at  length  his  sin- 
gular discovery.  The  professor  was  astonished, 
and  disbelieved  the  possibility  of  the  fish  being 
viviparous,  imagining  some  error  had  crept  into 
the  statement  sent  him  by  Mr.  Jackson ;  but  other 
fish  in  a  similar  state  were  subsequently  obtained 
by  Mr.  Carey,  and  forwarded  to  the  learned 
professor.  The  fact  was  then  most  undeniably 
established,  that  this  and  many  other  species  were 
strictly  viviparous. 


112 


FISH   HARVESTING. 


I  have  spoken  of  this  at  some  length,  because 
it  is  a  curious  coincidence  that  the  same  fact 
should  have  been  discovered  by  two  men  a  lon<ir 
distance  apart,  about  the  same  date,  and  by  both 
in  the  same  way, — by  sheer  accident. 

Now  we  come  to  a  ticklish  question:  how 
are  the  young  fish  vitalised  in  the  abdomen  of 
the  mother?  In  this  case  I  shall  adopt  what  I 
conceive  to  be  the  most  straightforward  course, 
which  is  candidly  to  give  my  own  thoughts,  and 
solicit  from  abler,  older,  and  better  physiologists 
their  opinions  or  theories — for  I  sincerely  think 
this  is  a  question  well  worth  careful  investigation. 
I  believe  the  ova,  after  impregnation,  at  first 
goes  through  the  same  transformations  in  the  ova- 
rium as  it  would  do,  supposing  it  to  have  been 
spawned  and  fecundated  in  the  ordinary  spawn- 
ing-bed, but  only  up  to  a  certaj^  point;  then,  I 
think,  the  membrane  enfolding  the  ova,  that  have 
by  this  time  assumed  a  fishlike  type,  takes  on  the 
character  and  functions  of  a  placental  membrane, 
and  the  young  fish  are  supplied  by  an  umbili- 
cal cord,  just  as  in  the  case  of  a  foetal  mam- 
mal. But  a  third  change  takes  place.  There 
can  be  no  doubt  that  the  young  fish  I  cut  out, 
and  that  swam  away,  had  breathed  before  they 
were  freed  from  the  mother;   hence  I  am  led 


^AV- 


VIVIPAROUS  Fisn. 


113 


to  think  that,  a  short  time  prior  to  the  Ijirth 
of  the  young,  sea- water  has  access  to  this  mar- 
supial sac,  washes  over  the  infant  fish,  the  gills 
assume  their  normal  action,  and  the  roguhir 
systemic  circle  is  established.  Maturity  at- 
tained, the  umbilical  attachment  snaps,  and  the 
little  fish,  perfect  in  every  detail  of  its  organi- 
sation, is  launched  into  the  deep,  to  brave  its 
many  perils,  and  shift  for  itself.  The  strong 
transverse  muscles  attached  to  the  powerful 
sphincter  (constituting  the  genital  opening  act- 
ing from  the  abdominal  walls),  I  im.igine,  are  in 
some  way  concerned  in  admitting  the  sea-water, 
and  it  appears  to  me  a  contrivance  admirably 
adapted  to  efi*ect  such  a  purpose;  but  how  im- 
pregnation takes  place,  I  may  at  once  honestly 
confess — I  do  not  know. 

The  male  is  much  like  the  female,  but  more 
slim,  and  the  milt  just  like  that  of  other  fish. 
I  can  only  conjecture  that  fecundation  is  accorn- 
plislied  through  the  medium  of  the  sea- water, 
admitted  by  the  curiously-contrived  floodgate 
of  the  female,  carrying  in  the  milt-germs,  and 
washing  them  over  the  ova. 

The  actual  period  of  utero-gestation  I  am  by 
no  means  sure  about,  but  I  am  inclined  to  think 

VOL.  I.  I 


I  f' 


114 


FISH  HARVESTING. 


they  breed  twice  in  the  year.  It  is  worthy 
of  remark  that  the  young  mature  fish  are  very 
large,  when  compared  with  the  size  of  the  mother. 
In  a  female  fish  eleven  inches  in  length,  the 
voun;'  were  three  inches  lon^f — the  adult  fish 
four-and-a-half  inches  high,  the  young  an  inch. 

The  only  instance  I  can  find  recorded  of  a 
viviparous  fish  bearing  any  analogy  to  the  Eni' 
hiotocidcv  is  the  viviparous  blenny  {Zoarces  vivi- 
jKiriis,  Cuv.).  Of  course  I  exclude  the  sharks 
and  rays.  Of  the  viviparous  blenny  little  or 
nothing  appears  to  me  to  be  known.  On  re- 
ference to  Pennant's  *  British  Zoology,*  all  he 
says  is,  that  it  was  discovered  by  Schonevelde, 
and  that  Sir  Robert  Sibbald  ailer/ards  found 
it  on  the  Scotch  coast,  and  it  was  mentioned  by 
Linnajus  in  his  account  of  the  Swedish  Museum. 

I  quote  the  following  paragraph  verbatim  from 
Pennant's  '  British  Zoology.'  Speaking  of  the 
blenny,  he  goes  on  to  say:  'It  is  viviparous, 
hringing  forth  two  or  three  hundred  young  at  a 
time.  Its  season  of  parturition  is  a  little  after  the 
depth  of  winter ;  before  midsummer  it  quits  the 
bays  and  shores,  and  retires  into  the  deep,  where 
it  is  commonly  taken.  It  comes  into  the  mouth 
of  the  River  Esk  at  Whitby,  Yorkshire,  where 
it  is  frequently  taken  from  off  the  bridge.' 


1' 


1<L 


vivirAROus  risH. 


115 


In  Cuvicr's  *  Animal  Kinf^dom'  (vol.  i.  'Fish'), 
all  I  can  «^lean  is  that  the  blenny  is  viviparous. 
YaiTcl,  in  his  'British  Fishes,'  speaks  of  a  Mr. 
Low,  who  put  a  number  of  the  small  fishes  (the 
vjunf^  of  the  blenny)  in  a  tumbler  of  sea-water, 
ill  whieh  they  increased  in  size,  but  eventually 
died  from  the  want  of  fresh-watci*.  Again,  he 
quotes  a  Mr.  Neil,  who  saw  in  the  Edinburgh 
market,  in  1S07,  several  dozens  of  young  fish  es- 
cape alive  from  the  female.  '  The  arrangement 
of  the  perfectly-formed  young  in  the  foetal  sac  of 
the  gravid  female  is  very  remarkable.' 

It  is  quite  clear  from  the  above  quotations  that 
there  is  an  analogy,  if  not  a  close  one,  between 
the  reproductive  organs  of  the  blenny  and  those 
of  the  viviparous  fish  from  the  North-west  seas ; 
for  *  the  foetal  sac  of  the  gravid  female '  evidently 
means  that  there  is  a  kind  of  placental  sac,  in 
which  the  young  are  contained ;  but  it  leaves  us 
quite  as  much  in  the  dark  as  ever  as  to  how  foetal 
life  is  supported.  As  the  ova  deposited  in  the 
usual  way  (when  fecundated)  contains  all  that 
is  requisite  for  the  development  of  the  embryo, 
it  is  just  possible  that  the  same  process  goes  on  in 
the  womb  of  the  female  viviparous  fish,  and  that 
the  foetal  sue  is  only  a  wrapper,  formed  by  the 

I  2 


ii 


I 


if 
1 1 


116 


riSH   HARVESTING. 


widened  end  of  the  ovary.     But  still  I  maintain 
that  it  fulfils  a  far  more  important  duty. 

I  fear  I  have  been  rather  prolix  in  the 
foregoing  descriptions,  but  I  must  plead  the 
novelty  and  importance  of  the  subject  as  my 
excuse.  The  most  beautiful  of  all  the  species 
of  these  fish  is  the  sapphire  perch  (so  called 
by  the  traders),  very  plentiful  in  Puget's  Sound. 
Eighteen  exquisitely  beautiful  mazarine-blue 
lines  or  stripes  mark  its  entire  length  from 
head  to  tail ;  and  above  and  below  this  line  are  a 
number  of  spots  of  most  dazzling  blue,  arranged 
in  a  crescent  shape,  about  the  eyes  and  gill-covers. 
Between  these  spots  the  colour  changes,  as  it  does 
in  the  dolphin,  throwing  off  a  kind  of  phosphor- 
escent light  of  vaiying  shades  of  gold,  purple,  and 
green — the  back  bright-blue,  but  darker  than 
the  stripes ;  the  belly  white,  marked  by  golden- 
yellow  streaks. 

But  now  for  the  most  important  feature  in  the 
history  of  these  fish — that  of  bringing  into  the 
world  their  young  alive,  self-dependent,  and  self- 
supporting,  as  perfect  in  their  minutest  organ- 
isation as  the  parent-fish  that  gives  them  birth. 
The  generative  apparatus  of  the  female  fish  when 
in  a  gravid  state  may  be  defined  as  a  large  bag 
or  sac.     Ramifying  over  its  surface  may  be  seen 


^ 


VIVIPAROUS   FISH. 


117 


a  most  complicated  and  strangely  beautiful  vas- 
cular arrangement — a  network  of  vessels,  the 
use  of  which  is  clearly  to  convey  the  lifegiving 
fluid  to  the  infant  fish,  and  carry  it  back  again, 
after  having  served  its  destined  purpose,  to  be 
revivified  for  future  use.  The  way  this  sac  is, 
as  it  were,  folded,  and  the  different  compart- 
ments made  for  the  accommodation  of  the  cmbrv- 
onic  fish,  is  most  singular,  and  very  difficult  to 
describe  clearly. 

The  best  illustration  I  can  think  of  is  an 
orano^e.  You  must  ima^i^ine  the  oran^^e  divided 
into  its  regular  number  of  little  wedge-shaped 
pieces,  and  each  piece  to  represent  a  fish;  that 
the  rind  of  the  orange  is  a  delicate  mem- 
brane, having  a  globular  shape,  and  easily  com- 
pressed or  folded.  You  now  desire  to  fit  the 
pieces  together  again  in  the  original  orange- 
shape,  but  you  must  begin  on  the  outside  of  the 
globular  membrane,  pressing  in  with  each  sec- 
tion a  fold  of  membrane  (remember  that  each 
represents  a  fish)  ;  when  each  piece  is  in  its  place, 
you  will  still  have  the  sac  in  its  rounded  form, 
biit  the  rind  or  membrane  has  been  folded  in 
with  the  different  pieces.  If  I  have  made 
myself  understood,  it  will  be  seen  that  there 
must  be  a  double  fold  of  membrane  between 


118 


FISH   HARVESTING. 


each  portion  of  orange.  This  is  exactly  the  way 
the  fish  are  packed  in  this  novel  placental  sac. 
If  it  were  practicable  to  remove  each  fish  from 
its  space,  and  the  sac  retain  its  normal  shape, 
there  would  be  twelve  or  fourteen  openings 
(depending  upon  the  number  of  young  fish), 
the  wall  of  each  division  being  a  double  fold 
of  membrane  —  the  double  edges  wrapping  or, 
as  it  were,  folding  over  the  fish.  Now  make  a 
hole  in  the  end  of  this  folded  bag,  and  blow  it 
full  of  air,  and  you  get  at  once  the  globe-shaped 
membranous  sac  I  have  likened  to  an  orange. 

The  fish  are  always  arranged  to  economise 
space :  when  the  head  of  a  young  fish  points  to 
the  head  of  its  mother,  the  next  to  it  is  reversed, 
and  looks  towards  the  tail.  I  am  quite  convinced 
that  the  young  fish  are  packed  away  by  doubling 
or  folding  the  sac  in  the  way  I  have  endeavoured 
to  describe.  I  have  again  and  again  dissected 
out  this  ov'irian  bag,  filled  with  fish  in  various 
stages  of  development,  and  floating  it  in  salt- 
water, have,  with  a  fine-pointed  needle,  opened 
the  edges  of  the  double  membranous  divisions 
that  enwrap  the  fish — (the  amount  of  overlap- 
ping is  of  course  greater  when  the  fish  is  in  its 
earlier  stages  of  development).  On  separating 
the  edges  of  the  sac,  out  the  little  fishes  pop.  I 
have  obtained  them  in  all  stages  of  their  growth, 


VIVIPAROUS  FISH. 


119 


— but  sometimes  (and  this  not  once  or  twice, 
but  often)  have  set  free  the  young  fish  from  its 
dead  mother.  Thus  prematurely  cut  loose  from  its 
membranous  prison,  the  infant  captive,  revelling 
in  its  newly-acquired  liberty,  swam  about  in  the 
saltwater,  active,  brisk,  and  jolly,  in  every  par- 
ticular, as  well  able  to  take  care  and  provide  for 
itself  as  its  parent.  The  female  external  genital 
opening  is  situated  a  little  posterior  to  the  anal 
opening;  the  orifice  is  at  the  apex,  and  in  the 
centre  of  a  fleshy  conical  protuberance,  which 
is  in  fact,  a  powerful  sphincter  muscle,  moored^ 
as  it  were,  in  its  place  by  two  strong  muscular 
ropes,  acting  from  and  attached  to  the  walls  of 
the  abdomen. 

Dr.  Giinther,  in  the  British  Museum  Cata- 
logue of  Fishes,  uses  the  generic  title  of  Ditrema^ 
which  I  have  adopted.  The  first  glance  at 
the  fish,  as  it  lies  on  the  table  or  on  the  beach, 
would  lead  you  to  pronounce  it  a  Pomotis 
(belonging  to  the  family  Percidce) :  the  northern 
Pomotis  (P.  vulgaris)  is  a  good  example,  and 
very  common  along  the  shores  of  Lake  Huron, 
where  I  have  often  caught  them.  Or,  on  the 
other  hand,  you  would  be  perhaps  tempted  to 
call  it  a  Sparus;  the  gilthead  (S.  auratus)  may 
be  taken  as  a  type  suggesting  the  resemblance. 
This   fish   is   taken   in   large   numbers   in   the 


ISO 


FISH   HARVESTING. 


I 


,  J 


:\ 


Mediterranean,  and  occasionally  on  the  French 
and  Spanish  coasts.  But  a  close  investigation 
into  the  more  marked  generic  and  specific  charac- 
ters, apart  from  their  reproducing  organs,  at 
once  clearly  shows  they  belong  neither  to  the 
one  family  nor  the  other;  they  differ  much  more 
from  the  perc^ids  than  from  the  sparoids,  but 
the  cycloid  scales  remove  them  at  once  from  the 
sparoids,  in  which  the  scales  present  a  very 
uniform  ctenoid  type.  < 

The  illustration  represents  a  female  Ditrema 
argenteum^  Brit.  Mus.  Cat.,  'Fishes.' 

Ampliistichus  argenteus^  Agass.,  Am.  Journ., 
1854;  Soc.  Nat.  Hist.,  18G1,  p.  131;  Pacif. 
R.  R.  Exp.,  '  Fishes,'  p.  201. 

Mytilophagus  fasciatiis  (Gibbons). 

Amphistichus  similes  (Grd.). 

The  middle  dorsal  spines  are  either  nearly  as 
long  as,  or  somewhat  longer,  than  the  posterior; 
scales  on  the  cheek,  in  five  series,  somewhat 
irregularly  disposed.  The  height  of  the  body 
is  rather  more  than  a  fourth  of  the  total  length 
(without  caudal) ;  jaws  equal  anteriorly ;  the 
maxillary  extends  to  below  the  centre  of  the 
orbit ;  lips  thin,  the  fold  of  the  lower  interrupted 
in  the  middle.  For  description  of  species,  vide 
Appendix,  vol.  ii. 


^!ti- 


STICKLEBACKS. 


121 


CHAPTER  Y. 


STICKLEBACKS  AND   THEIU   NESTS — THE  BULLHEAD — THE  ROCK- 
COD — THE    CHIRUS — FLATFISH. 

The  genus  Cottoidw  (fish  having  mailed  cheeks) 
has  a  great  many  representntives,  common  on 
Vancouver  Island  and  the  British  Columbian 
coasts.  The  least  of  the  family,  the  stickleback,  is 
so  singularly  different  from  most  other  fishes 
in  its  habits,  as  to  merit  the  first  consideration. 

In  the  months  of  July  and  August  it  would 
be  difficult  to  find  a  stream,  large  or  small, 
SAvift  or  slow,  lake,  pool,  or  muddy  estuaiy, 
east  and  west  of  the  Cascade  Mountains,  that 
has  not  in  it  immense  shoals  of  that  most 
irritable  and  pugnacious  little  fish  the  stickle- 
back, ever  ready  on  the  slightest  provocation  to 
engage  in  a  battle.  Let  friend  or  foe  but  rub 
against  his  royal  person,  or  come  nearer  his  pri- 
vate subaqueous  garden  than  he  deems  consis- 
tent with  safety  or  good  behaviour,  in  a  moment 
the  spines  are  erected  like  spear-points,  the  tiny 


It 


I 


1    ': 


P\ 


193 


FISH   HARVESTING. 


eyes  glow  with  fury,  the  colours  decking  his 
scaly  armour  intensify,  and  flash  with  a  kind  of 
phosphorescent  brightness,  until  the  diminutive 
gladiator  looks  the  impersonation  of  rage  and 
fury :  but  as  we  cultivate  his  acquaintance,  and 
gain  a  better  knowledge  of  his  real  character, 
we  shall  discover  that  his  quarrelsome  disposi- 
tion is  not  so  much  attributable  to  a  morose 
temper,  and  a  love  of  fighting  for  fighting's  sake, 
as  to  a  higher  and  more  praiseworthy  principle. 

No  amount  of  thinking  would  lead  one  to 
imagine  that  his  pugnacity  arises  from  intense 
parental  aifection :  a  love  of  off*spring,  scarcely 
having  a  parallel  in  the  living  world,  prompting 
him  to  risk  his  life,  and  sj  jnd  a  great  deal  of  his 
time  in  constantly-recurring  paroxysms  of  fury 
and  sanguinary  conflicts,  in  which  it  often  happens 
that  one  or  more  of  the  combatants  gets  ripped 
open  or  mortally  stabbed  with  the  formidable 
spines  arming  the  back.  Skill  in  stickleback 
battles  appears  to  consist  in  rapidly  diving  under 
an  adversaiy,  then  as  suddenly  rising,  and  driving 
the  spines  into  his  sides  and  stomach.  The  little 
furies  swim  round  and  round,  their  noses  tightly 
jammed  together  ;  but  the  moment  one  gets  his 
nose  the  least  bit  under  that  of  his  foe,  then  he 
plies  his  fins  "with  all  his   might,  and  forcing 


STICKLEBACKS. 


123 


himself  beneath,  does  his  best  to  drive  in  his 
spear,  if  the  other  be  not  quick  enough  to  dart 
upwards  and  escape  the  thrust;  thus  squaring 
they  fight  round  after  round  until  the  death  or 
flight  of  one  ends  the  combat. 

I  have  often,  when  tired,  lain  down  on  the  bank 
of  a  stream,  beneath  the  friendlv  shade  of  some 
leafy  tree,  and  gazing  into  its  depths  watched  the 
sticklebacks  either  guarding  their  nests  already 
built,  or  busy  in  their  construction.  The  site  is 
generally  amongst  the  stems  of  aquatic  plants, 
where  the  water  always  flows,  but  not  too  swiftly. 
He  first  begins  by  carrying  small  bits  of  green 
material,  which  he  nips  off"  the  stalks,  and  tugs 
from  out  the  bottom  and  sides  of  the  banks ;  these 
he  attaches  by  some  glutinous  material,  that  he 
clearly  has  the  power  of  secreting,  to  the  difl^erent 
stems  destined  as  pillars  for  his  building.  Dur- 
ing this  operation  he  swims  against  the  woik 
already  done,  splashes  about,  and  seems  to  ''  .st 
its  durability  and  strength ;  rubs  himself  against 
the  tiny  kind  of  platform,  scrapes  the  slimy 
mucus  from  his  sides,  to  mix  with  and  act 
as  mortar  for  his  vegetable  bricks.  Then  he 
thrusts  his  nose  into  the  sand  at  \\v^  bottom, 
and  bringing  a  mouthful  scatters  it  over  the 
foundation;   this  is  repeated  until  enough   has 


124 


FISH  HARVESTING. 


been  thrown  on  to  Aveight  the  slender  fabric 
down,  and  give  it  substance  and  stability.  Then 
more  twists,  turns,  and  splashings,  to  test  the  firm 
adherence  of  all  the  materials  that  are  intended 
to  constitute  the  foundation  of  the  house,  that 
has  yet  to  be  erected  on  it.  The  nest  or  nur- 
sery, when  completed,  is  a  hollow,  somewhat 
rounded,  barrel-shaped  structure,  worked  together 
much  in  the  same  way  as  the  platform  fastened 
to  the  water-plants;  the  whole  firmly  glued 
together  by  the  viscous  secretion  scraped  .  from 
off  the  body.  The  inside  is  made  as  smooth  as 
possible,  by  a  kind  of  plastering  system ;  the 
little  architect  continually  goes  in,  then  turning 
round  and  round,  works  the  mucus  from  his  body 
on  to  the  inner  sides  of  the  nest,  where  it  hardens 
like  a  tough  varnish.  There  are  two  apertures, 
smooth  and  symmetrical  as  the  hole  leading  into 
a  wren's  nest,  and  not  unlike  it. 

All  this  laborious  work  is  done  entirely  by 
the  male  fish,  and  when  completed  he  goes 
a-wooing.  Watch  him  as  he  swims  towards  a 
group  of  the  fair  sex,  enjoying  themselves  amidst 
the  water-plants,  arrayed  in  his  best  and  bright- 
est livery,  all  smiles  and  amiability:  steadily, 
and  in  the  most  approved  style  of  stickleback 
love-making,  this  young  and  wealthy  bachelor 


STICKLEBACKS. 


125 


approaches  the  ohject  of  his  affections,  most  likely 
tells  her  all  about  his  house  and  its  comforts, 
hints  delicately  at  his  readiness  and  ability  to 
defend  her  children  against  every  enemy,  vows 
unfailing  fidelity,  and,  in  lover-fashion,  promises 
as  much  in  a  few  minutes  as  would  take  a  life- 
time to  fulfil.  Of  course  she  listens  to  his  suit: 
personal  beauty,  indomitable  courage,  backed 
by  the  substantial  recommendations  of  a  house 
ready-built,  and  fitted  for  immediate  occupation, 
are  gifts  not  to  be  lightly  regarded. 

Throwing  herself  on  her  side,  the  captive  lady 
shows  her  ai)preciation,  and  by  sundry  queer 
contortions  declares  herself  his  true  and  devoted 
spouse.  Then  the  twain  return  to  the  nest,  into 
which  the  female  at  once  betakes  herself,  and 
therein  deposits  her  eggs,  emerging  when  the 
operation  is  completed  by  the  opposite  hole. 
During  the  time  she  is  in  the  nest  (about  six 
minutes)  the  male  swims  round  and  round,  butts 
and  rubs  his  nose  against  it,  and  altogether 
appears  to  be  in  a  state  of  defiant  excitement. 
On  the  female  leaving  he  immediately  enters, 
deposits  the  milt  on  the  eggs,  taking  his  de- 
parture through  the  backdoor.  So  far,  his 
conduct  is  strictly  proper,  but,  I  am  afraid, 
morality  in  stickleback   society  is   of  rather   a 


120 


FISH   HARVESTING. 


M 


I!-  ! 


lax  order.  No  sooner  has  this  lady,  his  first 
love,  taken  her  departure,  than  he  at  once 
seeks  another,  introduces  her  as  he  did  the 
first,  and  so  on  wife  after  wife,  until  the  nest  is 
filled  with  eggs,  layer  upon  layer — milt  being 
carefully  deposited  betwixt  each  stratum  of 
ova.  As  it  is  necessary  there  should  be  two 
holes,  by  which  ingress  and  egress  can  be 
leadily  accomplished,  so  it  is  equally  essential  in 
another  point  of  view.  To  fertilise  fish-eggs, 
running  water  is  the  first  necessity  ;  and  as 
the  holes  are  invariably  placed  in  the  direction 
of  the  current,  a  steady  stream  of  water  is  thus 
directed  over  them. 

For  six  weeks  (and  sometimes  a  few  days  more) 
the  papa  keeps  untiring  sentry  over  his  treasure, 
and  a  hard  time  he  has  of  it  too :  enemies  of  all 
sorts,  even  the  females  of  his  own  species,  having 
a  weakness  for  new-laid  eggs,  hover  round  his 
brimming  nest,  and  battles  are  of  hourly  occur- 
rence ;  for  he  defies  them  all,  even  to  predatory 
water-beetles,  that,  despite  their  horny  armour, 
often  get  a  fatal  lance-wound  from  the  furious 
fish.  Then  he  has  to  turn  the  eggs,  and  expose 
the  under  ones  to  the  running  water :  and  even 
when  the  progeny  make  their  appearence,  his 
domestic  duties  are  far  from  ended,  for  it  is  said 


STICKLEBACKS. 


127 


(although  I  have  never  seen  him  do  it),  'When  one 
of  the  young  fish  shows  any  disposition  to  wander 
from  the  nest,  he  darts  after  it,  seizes  it  in  his 
mouth,  and  brings  it  back  again.' 

There  are  three  species  that  come  into  the 
fresh-waters  of  British  Columbia,  to  nest  and  to 
hatch  their  young : — 

Gasterosteus  serratus^  the  Saw-finned  Stickle- 
back (Ayres,  Proc.  Cal.  Acad.  Nat.  Sc.  1855 
p.  47). — Sp,  Ch. :  Body  entirely  plated ;  peduncle 
of  t*'.il  keeled ;  the  three  dorsal  spines  conspicu- 
ously serrated  on  their  edges;  anterior  fin  a 
little  in  advance  of  the  base  of  the  pectoral ;  in- 
sertion of  ventrals  in  advance  of  the  second  dorsal 
spine — their  own  spines  serrated  on  both  edges ; 
posterior  margin  of  caudal  somewhat  hollowed. 
The  colour  of  the  freshly- caught  fish  is  greyish- 
olive  along  the  dorsal  line;  but  on  the  sides, 
particularly  in  the  male,  it  shades  away  into  an 
iridescence,  like  that  seen  on  mother- o'pearl, 
again  changing  to  pure  silvery-white  on  the 
abdomen. 

Gasterosteus  PugettU^  the  Puget  Sound  Stickle- 
back (Grd.,  Proc.  Acad.,  Nat.  Sc.  Phil.,  viii. 
1856). — Sp.  Ch. :  Body  only  in  part  plated,  pe- 
duncle of  tail  not  keeled ;  the  three  dorsal  spines 
without  serrations ;   the  anterior  one   inserted 


IM 


FISH   HARVESTING. 


imraediatcly  behind  the  base  of  the  pectorals; 
ventrals  inserted  anterior  to  the  second  dorsal 
spine.  The  colour  is  very  much  like  that  of  G. 
serratus^  but  more  decidedly  purplish  on  the 
sides  ;  the  eyes  bright  red  in  both  species,  when 
fresh  from  the  water. 

Gasterosteus  concinnus,  the  Tiny  Stickleback 
(Rich.,  F.  B.  A.,  p.  57,  vol.  iii.). — Sp.  Ch. :  Head 
one-fourth  of  the  total  length,  mouth  small,  and 
teeth  but  feebly  developed;  dorsal  spines  nine, 
seventh  and  eighth  smaller  than  the  preceding 
ones,  the  ninth  longer  than  any  of  the  others. 
The  abdomen  is  protected  by  a  bony  cuirass,  and 
the  ventrals  represented  by  two  spines.  All  the 
spines  are  moveable,  and  destitute  of  serrations. 
Colour  of  the  back  a  bright  sea-green,  sides 
purplish-pink,  shading  away  to  a  silveiy-white 
on  the  belly  ;  the  entire  body  speckled  with 
minute  black  spots. 

This  handsome  little  stickleback,  though 
smaller  in  size  than  his  brethren,  is  vastly  more 
abundant.  Sir  J.  Richardson  speaks  of  it  '  as 
being  common  in  the  Saskatchawan,  ranging  as 
far  north  as  the  65th  parallel.'  So  abundant  are 
they  in  the  lakes  and  pools  about  Cumberland 
House,  east  of  the  Rocky  Mountains,  that  sledge- 
loads  are  dipped  out  with  wooden  bowls,  and 


STICKLEBACKS. 


used  for  feeding  the  do^i^s.  T  liuvc  seen  cnrtloiuU 
of  these  tiny  lish  in  ii  single  pool,  left  by  the 
receding  waters  after  the  snnnner  floods,  on  the 
Suniuss  prairie  and  banks  of  the  Chihikweyuk 
nver.  As  the  water  rapidly  evaporated,  the  miser- 
able captives  huddled  closer  and  closer  together, 
starving  with  hunger  and  panting  for  air,  but 
without  the  remotest  chance  of  escape.  The 
sticklebacks  die  and  decompose,  or  yield  ban- 
quets to  the  bears,  weasels,  birds,  and  beetles; 
the  pool  dries,  and  in  a  few  weeks  not  a  trace 
or  record  remains  of  the  dead  host  of  fishes.  In 
the  smaller  streams,  a  bowl  dip[)ed  into  the  witer 
where  the  sticklebacks  were  thickest,  could  be 
readily  filled  with  fish. 

Sticklebacks  are  the  most  voracious  little 
gourmands  imaginable,  devourers  of  everything, 
and  cannibals  into  the  bargain ;  tearing  their 
wounded  comrades  into  fragments,  they  greedily 
swallow  them.  I  have  often  taken  this  species 
(G.  concinnus)  in  Esquimalt  Harbour,  where 
they  are  very  plentiful  during  the  winter  months. 
TRe  natives  of  Kamtschatka  make  use  of  a 
stickleback  (G.  oholarius)^  which  they  obtain  in 
great  quantities,  not  only  as  food  for  the  sledge- 
dogs,  but  for  themselves  also,  by  making  them 
into    a    kind    of   soup.      West   of  the  Rocky 

VOL.  I.  S 


180 


FISH   HARVESTING. 


Mountains  I  have  never  seen  the  Indians  use 
them  as  an  article  of  diet,  not  from  any  dislike  to 
the  fish,  but  simply  because  there  are  larger  and 
better  fishes  quite  as  abundant,  and  as  easily 
procurable.  Whether  there  are  any  species  in 
the  North-west,  strictly  marine,  building  their 
nests  in  the  sea  and  never  entering  fresh-water, 
I  am  unable  to  say. 

The  Fifteen-spine  Stickleback  (Gasterosteus 
spinachia)  is  along  our, own  coasts  strictly  a  ten- 
ant of  the  ocean,  and  makes  a  nest  of  seaweeds 
glued  together  with  an  adhesive  mucus,  in  the 
same  way  as  the  nests  of  our  little  friends  are 
cemented,  that  seek  as  their  nursery  the  clear 
cold  streams  of  British  Columbia,  Oregon,  and 
Vancouver  Island. 

The  Bullhead. — The  stickleback  has  a  near 
relative,  with  a  name  nearly  as  ugly  as  the 
owner,  ''  BullheacV  being  certainly  not  suggestive 
of  beauty!  With  such  a  name,  we  are  the  less 
disappointed  to  find  the  entire  family  of  our 
friends  ill-favoured,  prickly,  hard-skinned,  and 
as  uncomfortable  to  handle  as  to  look  at.  Plates 
of  scaly  armour  cover  the  head,  from  which 
sprout  sharp  spines,  like  a  crop  of  horns ;  between 
these  are  tubercles  that  have  the  appearance  of 
being  rivets.    The  body  looks  like  an  appendage, 


THE   BULLHEAD. 


m 


tapering  away  to  a  mere  nothing  at  the  tail. 
There  are  many  species  frequenting  the  lakes  and 
rivers  of  British  Columbia,  during  the  summer 
months,  for  the  purpose  of  spawning.  On  their 
return  to  the  sea,  swarms  of  young  bullheads,  of 
various  species,  regularly  follow  the  ebb  and  flow 
of  the  tide ;  and  in  rough  weather  every  breaker, 
as  it  rushes  up  the  shelving  shingle,  carries  a 
freight  of  tiny  fish,  that  are  left  struggling  amid 
the  pebbles  in  thousands,  to  be  dragged  back  and 
floated  out  again  by  the  succeeding  wave,  or  to 
find  a  last  home  in  the  stomachs  of  the  sea-birds. 
The  bullhead  does  not  actually  build  a  nest, 
like  the  stickleback,  but  makes  an  egg-house,  on 
the  bottom  of  some  slowly-running  stream.  The 
male  usually  selects  a  hollow  under  a  boulder, 
or  a  space  betwixt  two  stones,  and  shoves  out  the 
lesser  pebbles  and  gravel,  to  form  a  pit.  This 
accomplished,  several  females  are  in  turn  induced 
to  deposit  their  roe,  having  done  which  they  are 
driven  off^  by  the  male,  who  supplies  the  milt, 
then  shovels  the  sand  and  pebbles,  with  his  huge 
horny  head,  over  the  treasure,  until  it  is  com- 
pletely covered:  more  females,  more  eggs  and 
milt,  more  shovelling,  until  the  aff'air  is  com- 
pleted to  the  bullhead  papa's  satisfaction. 
Now  stand  clear  all  thievish  prowlers !  Let  any- 

K   2 


132 


FISH   HARVESTING. 


li    I 


III 


thing  of  reasonable  size  venture  near — then  head 
down,  and  plying  all  his  propellers  to  their 
utmost  power,  he  charges  at  them,  driving  his 
horns  in  to  the  very  hilt ;  free  again,  seizes  hold 
with  his  mouth  —  thus  biting  and  stabbing, 
until  he  kills  or  routs  his  foe.  I  am  not  able 
to  say  exactly  how  long  the  eggs  are  incubating, 
but,  as  nearly  as  I  could  observe  them  (in  the 
Sumass  and  Chilukweyuk  streams),  in  about 
eight  weeks  the  young  escape  from  the  egg- 
house.  The  females  were  invariably  driven  away, 
with  the  same  ferocity  as  other  unwelcome 
guests,  from  the  depositing  the  spawn  to  the 
exit  of  the  infant  fish :  then  old  and  young  dis- 
appear into  deeper  water,  and  are  seldom  seen 
again. 

During  the  winter,  I  constantly  obtained  the 
bullheads  from  out  the  seine-nets  used  in  Esqui- 
mau Harbour  to  procure  fish  for  the  supply  of 
Victoria  market.  Rejected  by  the  fishermen, 
the  Indians  greedily  gathered  up  the  despised 
fishes,  broiled  them  over  the  lodge-fire  empaled 
on  a  slender  twig,  then  feasted  right-royally  on 
the  grilled  remains  of  the  spiny  martyrs. 

The  genus  Centridermichthys  is  charc-cterised 
as  follows  : — Head  more  or  less  depressed, 
rounded    anteriorly ;    head  and  body    covered 


\ 


THE  BULLHEAD. 


183 


with  soft  and  scaleless  skin,  more  or  less  studded 
■with  prickles  or  granulations ;  teeth  in  the 
jaws,  on  the  vomer  and  palatine  bones. 

Centridermichthys  asper  {Coitus  asper\  Rich. 
F.  B.  A.  *  Fishes,'  p.  295),  the  Prickly-skinned 

Bullhead Sp.    Ch. :    Gill-openings    separated 

beneath,  by  an  isthmus ;  three  opercular  spines ; 
crown  with  very  small  warts,  back  of  the  body 
with  very  minute  spines ;  colour  light  yellow- 
ish brown,  thickly  dotted  with  spots  nearly  black. 
The  length  of  the  adult  fish  is  seldom  over 
three-and-a-half  inches. 

These  tiny  bullheads  are  common  in  all  the 
streams  east  and  west  of  the  Cascades.  They  are 
not  fond  of  going  very  far  from  the  sea,  but  leave 
the  larger  rivers  soon  after  entering  them,  seeking 
the  clear  rivulets  and  shallow  lakes.  In  the 
streams  flowing  through  the  Sumass  and  Chiluk- 
weyuk  prairies,  in  those  flowing  into  Puget's 
Sound,  and  north  of  it  on  the  mainland  to  Fort 
Simpson,  and  in  all  the  streams  draining  Vancou- 
ver Island,  the  prickly-skinned  bullhead  can  be 
easily  found  in  July  and  August.  Similar  in 
habits,  and  frequenting  the  same  localities  as  the 
preceding,  are  several  species  described  in  the 
Appendix. 

The  Rock  Cod. — Belonging  to  the  same  family 


134 


FISH   HARVESTING. 


is  the  rock  cod,  as  it  is  usually  styled  by  the 
fishermen  who  provide  the  Victoria  and  San 
Francisco  markets  ;  one  of  the  best  and  daintiest 
table-fish  caught  in  the  seas  round  Vancouver 
Island.  It  often  attains  a  considerable  size,  and 
being  in  tolerable  abundance,  constitutes  an  ar- 
ticle of  some  commercial  value. 

As  numbers  are  taken  all  through  the  year, 
and  as  I  never  saw  them  in  fresh-water,  it  is  fair 
to  assume  they  are  strictly  marine.  Their  ap- 
peai^nce  is  not  prepossessing,  giving  one  the 
idea  of  being  all  head,  fins,  and  bones,  as  they 
lie  gasping  on  the  shingle ;  an  error  of  the  eye 
only,  as  yo'^  discover  when  testing  the  substance 
and  quality  of  a  large  one,  smoking  hot  from  the 
fish-kettle.  Three  species  are  commonly  ofi^ered 
for  sale  in  the  markets,  one  of  which  is  also  taken 
in  Japanese  seas.  They  vary  in  size ;  I  have 
often  seen  a  rock  cod  thirty  inches  in  length. 
Biting  greedily  at  any  bait,  they  are  constantly 
caught  by  the  Indians  when  trolling  for  salmon. 

The  one  usually  seen  in  the  Victoria  markets 
is  Sehastes  inermis  (Cuv.  and  Val.,  p.  346; 
Faun.  Japon., '  Poiss.,'  p.  47,  pi.  21,  figs.  3,  4),  the 
AVeak-spined  Rock  Cod. — Sp.  Ch. :  The  height  of 
the  body  equals  the  length  of  the  head ;  the  upper 
surface  of  the  head  flat,  with   some  depressed 


THE   CHIRUS. 


135 


spines  behind  the  orbit.  The  fourth  and  fifth 
dorsal  spines  are  the  kirgest,  longer  than  those 
of  the  anal,  and  nearly  half  the  length  of  the 
head.     Colour,  uniform  brownish. 

The  Chiuus. — On  the  fish-stalls  in  Victona 
and  San  Francisco  markets  the  visitor  may 
generally  see,  lying  by  the  side  of  the  dingy, 
spiny  rock  cod,  a  handsome,  shapely  fish,  about 
eighteen  inches  in  length.  Its  sides,  though 
somewhat  rough,  rival  in  beauty  many  a  tropi- 
cal flower :  clad  in  scales,  adorned  with  colours 
not  only  conspicuous  for  their  brilliancy,  but 
grouped  and  blended  in  a  manner  one  sees  only 
represented  in  the  plumage  of  a  bird,  the  wing 
of  a  butterfly,  or  the  petals  of  an  orchid,  this 
'  ocean  swell '  is  known  to  the  ichthyologist  as 
the  Chirus — the  Terpugh  (a  file)  of  the  Rus- 
sians— the  Idyajuk  of  the  Aleutian  Islanders — 
the  Tath-le-aest  of  the  Vancouver  Islanders. 

Quite  as  delicious  to  the  palate  as  pleasant 
to  the  eye,  the  chirus  is  altogether  a  most 
estimable  fish.  Its  habit  is  to  frequent  rocky 
places,  particularly  where  long  ledges  of  rocks 
are  left  bare  at  low-water,  and  sheltered  at  the 
same  time  from  the  surge  of  the  sea  in  icugh 
weather.  Here  the  chirus  loves  to  disport  his 
gaily-dressed  person,  amidst  the  gardens  of  sea 


136 


FISH   HARVESTING. 


plants:  for  in  these  gardens  dwell  jellyfish, 
tender  little  crustaceans,  soft-bodied  chitons, 
crisp  shrimps,  and  juicy  annalides — all  dainty 
viands,  on  which  this  gay  lounger  delights  to 
regale  himself. 

At  low-tide,  when  strolling  over  the  slippery 
rocks  that  everywhere  gird  the  eastern  side  of 
Vancouver  Island,  in  the  larger  rock-pools  I 
was  certain  to  see  lots  of  these  fish  imprisoned, 
having  lingered  imprudently  at  their  feasts. 
This  indulgence  constantly  costs  the  idler  his 
life:  gulls,  herons,  shags  also  prowl  over  the 
rocks,  well  knowing  what  admirable  preserves 
these  aquariums  are.  Once  spied  out,  it  is 
of  no  avail  to  hide  amidst  the  seaweeds,  or  cower 
under  the  shelving  ledges  draped  with  coralines. 
The  large  pincer-like  beak  follows,  nips  him 
across  the  back;  a  skilful  jerk  gets  the  head 
first — then  down  a  lane  he  goes  from  which  no 
chirus  ever  returns. 

We  might  as  reasonably  attempt  to  describe, 
the  flushing  changing  colours  of  the  Aurora 
Borealis  as  seen  in  high  latitudes,  or  the  phos- 
phorescence of  a  tropical  sea,  or  the  "wing  of  the 
diamond -beetle,  as  to  hope  by  word-painting 
to  give  the  faintest  conception  of  the  colourings 
that  adorn  the  chirus:  red,  blue,  orange,   and 


FLATFISH. 


137 


green  are  so  mingled,  that  the  only  thing  I  can 
think  of  as  a  comparison  is  a  floating  flower-bed, 
and  even  then  the  gardener's  art,  in  grouping,  is 
but  a  bungle  contrasted  with  Nature's  painting  ! 

There  are  three  species  of  chirus  common 
along  the  island  and  mainland  coasts.  The  one 
usually  sold  is  Chirus  heccagrammus  (Cuv.,  Regne 
An.,  'Poiss.,'  pi.  H3),  the  Six-lined  Chirus. — Sp. 
Ch.:  A  skinny  tentacle  over  each  orbit;  palatine 
teeth  none;  two  muciferous  channels,  between 
the  lateral  line  and  dorsal  fin;  scales  ciliated. 

Flatfish.  —  ^n  all  the  muddy  estuaries  and 
on  the  sandy  flats  about  Puget's  Sound,  at  the 
mouths  of  the  Columbia  and  Fraser  rivers,  several 
species  of  flatfish  are  found  in  great  abundance. 
These  fish  have  always  formed  an  important 
article  of  food  to  all  the  sea-fishing  Indians,  and, 
since  the  influx  of  white  settlers,  are  caught 
for  the  supply  of  the  Victoria  and  San  Francisco 
markets. 

Only  the  larger  species  are  taken  with  hook 
and  line,  the  smaller  flounders  being  usually 
speared  by  the  Indians.  And  a  pleasant  sight 
it  is,  too,  to  watch  a  little  fleet  of  canoes,  each 
one  slowly  paddled  by  a  dusky  squaw  gliding 
along  the  sandy  shallows,  the  spearman  in  the 
bow  '  prodding '  for  the  fish  hidden  in  the  mud 


I 


138 


FISH   HARVESTING. 


1    ' 


and  sand.  The  flounder,  thus  disturbed,  scuds 
along  the  bottom,  and  stirs  up  the  sand  like  a 
trail,  marking  its  line  of  progress.  The  sharp- 
eyed  savage  notes  the  spot  where  the  dirt-line 
ends,  paddles  up  to  it,  dashes  in  the  spear,  and, 
quick  as  thought,  transfers  the  ^  flat '  iish  from  its 
fancied  hiding-place  to  the  bottom  of  the  canoe. 
Immense  numbers  are  taken  in  this  manner  at 
every  tide.  The  following  are  the  species  usu- 
ally sold  in  the  markets : — 

Pleuronectes  hilineates  (Platessa  bilineata^ 
Ayres,  in  Proc.  Calif.  Acad.,  1855,  p.  40), the  Two- 
lined  Flatfish. — Sp.  Ch. :  The  height  of  the  body 
is  a  little  less  than  one-half  of  the  entire  length, 
the  length  of  the  head  nearly  one-fourth  ;  snout 
somewhat  projecting,  not  continuous  in  direc- 
tion with  the  descending  profile  of  the  nape ; 
eyes  on  the  right  side  large,  their  diameter  being 
two-sevenths  of  the  length  of  the  head,  separated 
by  a  strong  prominent  ridge,  which  is  partly 
covered  with  scales;  lower  jaw  prominent;  a 
single  even  row  of  strong  blunt  teeth  in  each 
jaw,  less  developed  on  the  coloured  side  than  on 
the  blind  ;  scales  very  conspicuous,  those  on 
the  head  and  on  the  tail  ciliated;  lateral  line 
with  a  strong  curve  above  the  pectqral :  a  second 
series  of  pores  commences  above  the  eye,  and 


\ 


FLATFISH. 


139 


follows  the  dorsal  profile  to  the  vartical,  from  the 
opercular  angle,  where  it  torininates — it  cominu- 
nicates  with  the  true  lateral  line  by  a  branch ;  the 
dorsal  fin  rises  over  about  the  anterior  third  of 
the  orbit,  and  terminates  at  a  distance  from  the 
caudal  equal  to  the  breadth  of  the  eye;  anal 
spine  prominent;  pectoral  fin  half  as  long  as 
the  head.  Colour,  light  greyish-brown,  with 
lighter  blotches.  ^lore  abundant  at  San  Fran- 
cisco than  at  Vancouver  Island  and  north  of  the 
Fraser. 

Pleuronectes  dhjrammiis  (GUnther,  Brit.  Mus. 
Catalogue,  '  Fishes,'),  the  Two-lined  Flounder 
(Nov.  Spec). — Sp.  Ch. :  The  height  of  the  body 
rather  less  than  one-third  of  the  entire  length, 
the  length  of  the  head  two-ninths,  and  that 
of  the  caudal  two-thirteenths;  snout  with  the 
lower  jaw  prominent,  equal  in  length  to  the  di- 
ameter of  the  eye,  which  is  nearly  one-fifth  of 
that  of  the  head  ;  maxillary  as  long  as  the  eye ; 
the  upper  jaw  with  a  series  of  twenty-eight 
small  truncated  teeth  on  the  blind  side,  those  of 
the  other  side  being  few  in  number  and  very 
small ;  eyes  separated  by  a  very  narrow,  naked, 
bony  ridge;  scales  small  but  conspicuous;  lateral 
line,  with  a  very  slight  curve  above  the  pectoral ; 
a  second  series  of  pores  commences  above   the 


140 


FISH   HARVESTING. 


'in 


eye,  and  follows  the  dorsal  profile  to  the  twenty- 
sixth  dorsal  ray,  where  it  terminates ;  dorsal  and 
anal  rays  quite  smooth — the  dorsal  commences 
above  the  anterior  third  of  the  orbit,  and  ter- 
minates at  a  distance  from  the  caudal  nearly  equal 
to  the  depth  of  the  free  portion  of  the  tail ;  anal 
spine  prominent — the  longest  dorsal  rays  are 
somewhat  behind  the  middle  of  the  lin,  rather 
shorter  than  the  pectoral,  and  half  as  long  as  the 
head;  uniform  brownish;  length,  eight  inches. 
I  obtained  this  new  species  of  flounder  in  Mack- 
enzie's Arm,  a  tidal  inlet  continuous  with  Victoria 
Harbour. 

Pleuronichthys  guttulatus  (Gerard,  in  Proc. 
Acad.,  Nat.  Sc.  Philadel.,  1856, p.  137,  and  U.  S. 
Pacif.  R.R.  Expd.,  'Fishes,'  p.  152).— ^jo.  Ch.i 
The  height  of  the  body  is  somewhat  more  than 
one-half  of  the  total  length  (with  the  caudal),  the 
length  of  the  head  one-fourth,  and  that  of  the 
caudal  one-fifth.  The  interorbital  space  is  ex- 
ceedingly narrow,  and  raised  ridgelike  ;  snout 
very  blunt  and  short ;  mouth  small,  with  the  jaws 
even.  The  dorsal  commences  above  the  anterior 
part  of  the  orbit,  and  terminates  at  a  short  dis- 
tance from  the  caudal;  its  longest  rays  are  on 
and  behind  the  middle  of  the  fin.  Scales,  very 
small,  cycloid.     The  lateral  line  is  slightly  arched 


FLATFISH. 


141 


above  the  pectoral ;  a  similar  series  of  pores  runs 
from  the  upper  eye,  along  the  base  of  the  dorsal 
fin,  to  about  the  middle  of  the  lentrth.  There  is 
a  connectinf]^  branch  between  both  lines,  across 
the  occipit.'d  region.  Colour  greyish,  densely 
dotted  with  black  and  white  spots.  Common 
at  Vancouver  Island  and  San  Francisco.  For 
further  description  of  species,  vide  Appendix, 
vol.  ii. 


,i 


14S 


FISH    HARVESTING. 


Mi 


\l 


CHAPTER  VI. 


HALinUT  FISIIINO — DOGFISH — A  TRIP  TO  FORT  RUPERT  — 
RANSOMING  A  SLAVE  — A  PROMENADE  WITH  A  REDSKIN— ItAGGING 
A  chief's  head — QUEEN  CHARLOTTE'S  ISLANDERS  AT  NANAIMO. 


V 


fi 


» 


Halibut. — The  Halibut,  a  giant  amongst  flat- 
fishes, is  taken  by  the  Indians  on  the  western 
side  of  Vancouver  Island  ;  a  veritable  ground- 
feeder,  frequenting  deep-sea  sandbanks,  and  de- 
vouring anything  and  everything  that  comes 
within  reach  of  his  terrible  mouth.  The  halibut, 
at  Vancouver  Island,  attains  to  an  immense  size, 
300  lbs.  being  no  unfrequent  weight. 

The  Indians  are  most  skilful  in  securing  this 
leviathan  of  the  deep,  as  I  had  an  opportunity 
of  seeing,  when  visiting  the  northern  end  of  the 
island.  Picture  to  yourselves  an  Indian  village, 
built  on  a  plfiteau  overlooking  an  open  road- 
stead ;  a  crowd  of  Indians  on  the  shingly  beach, 
watching  the  departure  of  a  large  canoe,  manned 
by  four  savages,  awaiting  my  arrival.  This  being 
a  special  occasion,  they  were  more  elaborately 

\ 


IIALIDUT  FISHING. 


143 


painted  than  usual.  A  brief  description  of  one 
will  serve  to  ])ortmy  the  other  three.  Tailors 
are  entirely  unknown  in  the  land  of  the  red- 
skin ;  a  small  piece  of  blanket  or  fur,  tied  round 
the  waist,  constitutes  the  court,  evenin;r^  and 
morning  costume  of  both  chief  and  subject. 

My  crew  were  kilted  with  pieces  of  scarlet 
blanket.  Imafrine,  if  you  can,  a  dark  swarthy  cop- 
per-coloured figure  leaning  on  a  canoe-paddle,  his 
jet-black  hair  hanging  down  nearly  to  the  niiJdlc 
of  his  back,  the  front  hair  beip'.  cli^^ped  clos»^  in 
a  straight  line  across  the  forehead.  A  either 
beard,  whisker,  nor  moustache  ever  adorns  thfi 
face  of  the  redskin,  the  hair  being  tweezered  <;  ^ .; 
by  squaws  in  early  life,  and  thus  destroyed.  A 
line  of  vermilion  extends  from  the  cci*trc  of  the 
forehead  to  the  tip  of  the  nose,  and  from  this 
*  trunk  line'  others  radiate  over  and  under  the 
eyes  and  across  the  cheeks.  Between  these  red 
lines  white  and  blue  streaks  alternately  fill  the 
interstices.  A  similar  pattern  ornaments  chest, 
arms,  and  back,  the  frescoing  being  artistically 
arranged  to  give  apparent  width  to  the  chest; 
the  legs  and  feet  are  naked.  .  k.  '  fire-bag,'  made 
from  the  skin  of  the  medicine- otter,  elaborately 
decorated  with  beads,  F'urlet  cloth,  bells,  and 
brass  buttons,  slung  round  the   neck  by  a  broad 


1, 


144 


FISH   HARVESTING. 


belt  of  wampum,  completed  the  costume  of  my 
coxswain. 

The  canoe  .was  what  is  commonly  called 
a  'dug-out,'  that  is,  made  from  a  solid  log  of 
wood.  Coiled  round  the  sharp  bow  of  the 
canoe,  like  a  huge  snake,  was  a  strong  line  about 
sixty  fathoms  in  length,  made  from  the  inner 
bark  of  the  cypress,  neatly  twisted.  Lying 
along  each  side,  extending  far  beyond  both  bow 
and  stern,  were  two  light  spear-hafts,  about  sixty 
feet  long ;  whilst  stowed  away  in  the  bow  were  a 
dozen  shorter  spears,  one  end  being  barbed,  the 
other  constructed  to  fit  on  the  longer  spear,  but 
so  contrived  that  the  spearman  can  readily  detach 
it  by  a  skilful  jerk.  Tied  lightly  to  the  centre 
of  each  of  the  smaller  spears  was  a  bladder  made 
from  sealskin,  blown  full  of  air,  the  line  attach- 
ing it  being  about  three  fathoms  in  length. 

I  had  hardly  completed  my  investigation  of 
the  canoe,  its  crew,  and  contents,  when,  to  my 
intense  astonishment,  the  four  Indians  lifted  me, 
as  they  would  a  bale  of  fur,  or  a  barrel  of  pork, 
and  without  a  word  deposited  me  in  the  bottom 
of  the  canoe,  where  I  was  enjoined  to  sit,  much 
in  the  same  position  enforced  on  a  cyilprit  in  the 
parish  stocks.  I  may  mention,  incidentally,  that 
a  canoe  is  not  half  as  enjoyable  as  poets  and 


HALIBUT  FISHING. 


14.> 


■"^ 


novelists,  who  are  prone  to  draw  imaginary 
sketches,  would  lead  the  uninitiated  to  believe. 
It  would  be  impossible  to  trust  oneself  in  a  more 
uncomfortable,  dangerous,  damp,  disagreeable 
kind  of  boat  —  generally  designated  a  '  fairy 
barque,'  that  '  rides,  dances,  glides,  threads  its 
silvery  course  over  seas  and  lakes,  or,  arrow- 
like, shoots  foaming  rapids.*  All  a  miserable  de- 
lusion and  a  myth!  Getting  in  (unless  lifted, 
as  I  was,  bodily,  like  baggage)  is  to  any  but 
an  ludian  a  dangerous  and  difficult  process  ; 
the  least  preponderance  of  weight  to  either 
side,  and  out  you  tumble  into  the  water  to  a 
certainty.  Again,  lowering  oneself  into  the 
bottom  is  quite  as  bad,  if  not  worse,  requiring 
extreme  care  to  keep  an  even  balance,  and  a 
flexibility  of  back  and  limb  seldom  possessed 
by  any  save  tumblers  and  tightrope-dancers. 
Down  safely,  then,  as  I  have  said,  you  are  com- 
pelled to  sit  in  a  most  painful  position,  and  the 
least  attempt  to  alter  it  generally  results  in  a 
sudden  heeling-over  of  the  canoe,  when  you  find 
yourself  sitting  in  a  foot  of  cold  water. 

We  are  off,  and,  swiftly  crossing  the  harbour, 
the  beach  grows  indistinct  in  the  distance  ;  but 
we  still  see  the  dusky  forms  of  the  Indians,  the 
rough  gaudily  painted  huts,  the  gleam  of  many 

VOL.  I.  % 


li'i 


14G 


FISH   HARVESTING. 


lodge-fires,  and  wreaths  of  white  smoke  slowly 
ascending  through  the  still  air;  the  square  sub- 
stantial pickets  shutting  in  the  trade-fort,  its  roof 
and  chimneys  just  peeping  above,  backed  by  the 
sombre  green  of  the  pine-trees,  altogether  pre- 
sented a  picture  novel  and  pretty  in  all  its  details. 
A  few  minutes  and  we  rounded  the  jutting 
head-land,  keeping  close  along  the  rocky  shore  of 
the  island,  gliding  past  snug  bays  and  cozy  little 
lund-locked  harbours,  the  homes  and  haunts 
of  countless  wildfowl;  soon  we  leave  the  shore, 
and  stand  away  to  sea.  The  breeze  is  fresher 
here,  and  a  ripple,  that  would  be  nothing  in  a 
boat,  makes  the  flat-bottomed  canoe  unpleasantly 
lively.  Save  a  wetting  from  the  spray,  and  oc- 
casional surge  of  water  over  the  gunwale,  all 
goes  pleasantly.  The  far-away  land  is  barely  dis- 
tinguishable in  the  grey  haze.  No  canoes  are 
to  be  seen  in  the  dark-blue  water ;  the  only  sign 
of  living  things — a  flock  of  sea-gulls  waging  war 
on  a  shoal  of  fish,  the  distant  spouting  of  a  whale, 
and  the  glossy  backs  of  the  black  fish  as  they  roll 
lazily  through  the  ripple.  The  line  at  the  bow 
is  uncoiled,  a  heavy  stone  enclosed  in  a  net 
attached  n'^  a  sinker,  a  large  hook  made  of  bone 
and  hardwood,  baited  with  a  piece  of  the  octopus, 
(a  species  of  cuttle-fish),  is  made  fast  to  the  long 


HALIBUT   FISHING. 


147 


line  by  a  piece  of  hemp-cord ;  then  comes  a  heavy 
plunge  of  the  sinker,  the  rattle  of  the  line  as  it 
runs  over  the  side  of  the  canoe,  and — we  wait  in 
silence  for  the  expected  l/.te. 

A  tug,  that  came  unph.asantly  near  to  upset- 
ting all  hands,  lets  us  know  that  a  halibut  was 
bolting  the  tempting  morsel,  hook  and  all.  A 
few  minutes  gave  him  time  fairly  to  swallow  it, 
and  now  a  sudden  twick  bunes  the  hook  deeply 
in  the  fleshy  throat ;  the  huge  flatfish  finds,  to  his 
cost,  that  his  dinner  is  likely  seriously  to  disagree 
-with  him,  whilst  in  the  canoe  all  hands  are  in  full 
employ.  The  bowman,  kneeling,  holds  on  tightly 
with  both  hands  to  the  line;  the  savage  next 
him  taktd  one  of  the  long  spears,  and  quickly 
places  on  the  end  of  it  a  shorter  one,  baited 
and  bladdered ;  the  other  two  paddle  warily. 

At  first  the  hooked  fish  was  sulky,  and  re- 
mained obstinately  at  the  bottom,  until  continued 
jerks  at  the  line  ruffled  his  temper,  and  excited 
his  curiosity  sufficiently  to  induce  a  sudden  ascent 
to  the  surface;  perhaps  to  have  a  peep  at  his 
persecutors.  Awaiting  his  appearance  stood  the 
spearman,  and  when  the  canoe  was  sufficiently 
near,  in  he  sent  the  spear,  plucking  the  long  haft 
or  handle  from  the  shorter  barbed  spear,  which 
remained  in  the  fish,  the  bladder,  floating  like  a 

h  2 


148 


FISH    HARVESTING. 


M^ 


life-buoy,  marking  the  fish's  whereabouts.  The 
halibut,  finding  his  reception  anything  but  agree- 
able, tries  to  descend  again  into  the  lower  regions, 
a  performance  now  difficult  to  accomplish,  as  the 
bladder  is  a  serious  obstacle.  Soon  reappearing 
on  the  surface,  another  spear  was  sent  into  him, 
and  so  on,  until  he  was  compelled  to  remain 
floating.  During  all  this  time  the  paddlers, 
aided  by  the  line-man,  followed  all  the  twistings 
and  windings  of  the  fish,  as  a  greyhound  courses 
a  doubling  hare. 

For  some  time  the  contest  was  a  very  equal 
one,  after  the  huge  fish  was  buoyed  and  prevented 
from  diving.  On  the  one  side  tlie  halibut  made 
desperate  efforts  to  escape  by  swimming,  and 
on  the  other  the  Indians,  keeping  a  tight  line, 
made  him  tow  the  canoe.  Evident  signs  of 
weariness  at  last  began  to  exhibit  themselves, 
his  swimming  became  slower,  and  the  attempts 
to  escape  more  feeble  and  less  frequent.  Several 
times  the  canoe  came  close  up  to  him,  but  a 
desperate  struggle  enabled  him  once  more  to 
get  away.  Again  and  again  we  were  all  but 
over ;  the  fish,  literally  flying  through  the  water, 
sometimes  towed  the  canoe  nearly  under,  and  at 
others  spun  it  suddenly  round,  like  a  whipped 
top;  nothing  but  the  wonderful  dexterity  of  the 
paddlers  saved  us  from  instant  shipwreck  and 


HALIBUT   FISHING. 


m 


the  certainty  of  drowning.  I  would  have  given 
much  to  have  stood  up  ;  but  no  ;  if  I  only  moved 
on  one  side  to  peep  over,  a  sudden  yell  from 
the  steersman,  accompanied  by  a  flourish  of  the 
braining-club — mildly  admonitory,  no  doubt,  but 
vastly  significant — ensured  instant  obedience.  I 
forgot  cold,  wet,  and  friglit,  and  indeed  every- 
thing but  the  all  absorbing  excitement  attend- 
ant on  this  ocean-chase.  Tlie  skill  and  tact  of  un- 
educated men,  pitted  against  a  huge  sea-monster 
of  tenfold  strength,  was  a  sight  a  lover  of  sport 
would  travel  any  distance  to  witness. 

Slowly  and  steadily  the  sturdy  paddlers  worked 
towards  the  shore,  towing  the  fish,  but  keeping 
the  canoe  stern-first,  so  as  to  be  enabled  to  pay 
out  line  and  follow  him,  should  he  suddenlv  ":row 
restive :  in  this  way  the  Indians  gradually  coaxed 
the  flat  monster  towards  the  beach;  a  weak, 
powerless,  exhausted  giant,  outwitted,  ca})tured, 
and  subdued,  prevented  from  diving  into  his  deep- 
sea  realms  by,  vrhat  were  to  him,  anything  but 
life-buoys.  We  beached  him  at  last,  and  he  yielded 
his  life  to  the  knife  and  club  of  the  redskin. 

I  believe  the  species  to  be  the  Pleuronectes 
hippoglossus  of  Linnaeus,  but  of  this  I  am  by  no 
means  perfectly  clear,  as  I  had  only  an  opportu- 
nity of  examining  this  single  specimen,  that  1  es- 
timated as  weighing  over  300  lbs. ;  and  it  was 


I 


i  ! 

i 


!- 


150 


FISH    HARVESTING. 


quite  impossible  to  investigate  its  specific  cha- 
racter, inasmuch  as  the  Indians  immediately 
set  to  work  to  cut  the  body  in  pieces,  some  to  be 
there  and  then  devoured,  after  a  very  brief  roast- 
ing on  a  temporary  fire;  the  remainder,  packed 
into  the  canoe, was  taken  to  the  village. 

Halibut  are  said  to  spawn  in  the  middle  of 
February ;  the  roe,  which  is  bright  red,  being  es- 
teemed a  great  dainty  by  all  the  Coast  Indians. 

Cod. — The  true  Cod,  although  I  never  saw  it 
offered  for  sale  in  the  Victoria  market,  is  taken 
both  at  the  northern  extremity  of  Vancouver 
Island,  and  near  Cape  Flattery,  at  its  southern 
end.  The  Indians  iish  for  them  with  hooks  and 
lines,  and  adopt  very  much  the  same  system 
for  landing  heavy  obstinate  fish  as  I  have  already 
described  as  used  to  subdue  the  halibut.  No 
regular  system  of  deep  sea  fishing  had,  when  I 
left  the  island,  been  tried  by  white  men  ;  neither 
had  the  trawl  ever  dragged  up  the  treasures  hid- 
den at  the  bottom ;  so  that  deep-sea  fish  are  still 
comparatively  unknown.  But  of  this  I  am  quite 
sure — whenever  fisheries  are  established  along 
the  island  coasts,  the  trawl  and  deep-sea  line, 
used  by  experienced  hands,  will  bring  up  treasures 
from  mines  of  wealth  as  yet  unworked,  to  which 
gold  and  fur  are  nothing. 


: 


DOGFISH. 


151 


Dogfish — The  Western  Dogfish  (Acanthins 
Sackleyi)^  Grd.,  Proc.  Acud.,  Nat.  Sc.  Phil.,  vii. 
1854. — Sp,  Ch. :  Head  contained  in  a  sixth  of 
the  entire  length;  snout  blunt,  nostrils  near  to 
its  apex.  Eye  large  and  bright,  sea-green  in  the 
newly-taken  fish.  Anterior  margin  of  the  first 
dorsal,  midway  betwixt  the  pupil  and  anterior 
margin  of  the  second  dorsal.  Colour  reddish 
brown,  above  thickly  spotted  with  white,  over- 
spread with  bronze  reflections. 

This  most  predaceous  race  of  sharks,  altliough 
they  never  grov/  to  a  size  dangerous  to  man,  are 
nevertheless  most  bloodthirsty  and  implacable 
enemies  to  all  the  tinny  tribes  inhabiting  tlie 
waters  of  the  North-west.  They  appear  to  live 
everywhere,  in  every  harbour,  up  the  long  inland 
canals,  in  the  lagoons,  and  nearly  as  far  as  the 
tide  flows;  the  dogfish  is  ever  to  be  found  up 
the  tidal  rivers.  Hunting  in  packs  like  wolves, 
they  often  chase  a  shoal  of  fish  upon  the  shingle, 
then  bite  and  maim  six  times  as  many  as  they 
can  possibly  eat.  I  have  often  seen  them  seize 
dead  and  even  wounded  birds,  drag  them  below 
the  surface,  and  tear  them  into  shreds. 

Angling  where  there  are  dogfish,  and  it  is  hard 
to  discover  a  spot  where  they  are  not  plentiful,  is 
simply  to  waste  time,  and  lose  one's  temper;  your 


I 


i     A 


152 


FISH    HARVESTING. 


bait  hardly  touches  the  water  ere  it  is  gorged, 
and  aii  ugly  dogfish  dangles  at  the  end  of  the  line. 
To  unhook  the  thief  is  a  service  of  danger,  unless 
knocked  senseless,  and  his  fearfully-armed  jaws 
are  propped  open  with  a  piece  of  stick.    15ut,  with 
all  his  faults,  the  dogfish  is  most  useful  and  valu- 
able to  the  Indians,  who  spear  incredible  num- 
bers, split  them,  and  take  out  their  livers.    From 
these  fatty  livers  a  quantity  of  clear  oil  is  ex- 
tracted, by  heat  and  pressure,  applied  in  such  a 
clumsy  manner,  that  at  least  one-third  is  wasted. 
I  was  credibly  informed  that  one  small  tribe  of 
Indians,  living  on  the  west  coast  of  Vancouver 
Island,  by  their  bungling  process  of  oil-making, 
managed  to  obtain  seven  cwt.  of  oil  in  one  sea- 
son :  surely  oil  making  alone  would  pay  a  com- 
pany a  handsome  return  for  a  judicious  outlay 
of  skill  and  capital.     Several  naval  surgeons  have 
assured  me  they  had  fairly  tested  its  curative 
powers — in  diseases  where  oil  is  said  to  be  effi- 
cacious— and  found  it   in   every  respect   quite 
equal  to  the  finest  cod-liver  oil. 


Whilst  occupied  in  collecting  the  fishes  pre- 
viously described,  the  Honourable  Hudson's  Bay 
Comjmny's  steamer  'Otter'  was  about  to  make 
her  us  al   trip   to   Fort   Rupert,    in  order  to 


DEPARTURE   IN   THE    *  OTTER.* 


1.53 


carry  up  the  necessary  supplies  to  the  chief 
trader  in  charge  of  tlie  fort,  and  bring  back  to 
Victoria  the  furs  traded  during  the  year.  Being 
a  good  opportunity  to  visit  so  remote  a  part  of 
Vancouver  Island  (not  accessible,  at  that  time, 
in  any  otlier  way),  leave  was  obtained  from  His 
Excellency  the  Governor,  and  a  passage  provided 
for  me. 

On  a  bri^i^ht  but  cold  mornint]^  in  October 
the  '  Otter '  twisted,  puffc^d,  and  worked  her  way 
tiircugh  the  somewhat  intricate  passage  leading 
out  of  Victoria  Harbour.  Leaving  the  harbour, 
the  scenery  opens  out  like  a  magnificent  pano- 
rama, indescribably  wild  and  beautiful.  In  front, 
the  sharp  jagged  mountains  of  the  coast  range, 
wooded  to  the  sea-line,  tower  in  the  far  distance 
to  the  regions  of  eternal  snow ;  to  the  left,  the 
rounder  hills  of  the  island  slope  easily  to  the 
water's  edge,  in  grassy  glades  and  lawnlike  open- 
ings, belted  with  scrub-oaks ;  higher  up,  the  hill- 
sides are  overshadowed  by  the  Douglas  pines 
and  cedars;  whilst  just  visible  in  our  course,  like 
a  green  speck,  is  the  famed  island  of  St.  Juan ; 
and  bending  away  to  the  right,  as  far  as  eye 
could  reach,  dense  forests  look  like  one  vast 
unbroken  sea  of  green. 

AVe  had  a  deli^^litful  run  aloni?  the  coast  and 
amidst  islands,  and  anchored  in  the  evening  near 


.4 
I 


■■I)    I  !■  ■'IWWtMIIW^WMtl^lllWI 


154 


DEPUTATION   OF   NAINIMO   INDIANS. 


the  narrows.  These  same  narrows  are  only  used 
by  the  initiated  as  a  siiort  cut,  being  too  risky 
for  large  vessels  navigated  by  unskilled  hands. 
There  is  a  channel,  a  quarter  of  a  mile  long  and 
seventy  yards  wide,  between  a  small  island  and 
the  Island  of  Vancouver.  Through  this  rocky 
canal  the  tide  rushes  with  fearful  velocity.  We 
ran  it  safely  in  the  morning,  although  it  struck  me 
as  being  the  most  ticklish  bit  of  navigation  I  ever 
experienced.  Through  these  narrows,  we  were 
soon  in  Nainimo,  where  we  called  for  a  supply 
of  coals ;  the  town,  at  this  early  stage  of  its  his- 
tory, consisting  of  about  a  dozen  log-shanties, 
inhabited  by  the  coal-miners  and  employds  of 
the  fur-trading  establishment. 

Whilst  *  coaling,'  a  deputation  of  Indian  braves, 
headed  by  a  j'oung  chief,  waited  on  the  captain 
of  the  steamer.  Squatted  in  a  circle  on  the  deck, 
and  the  all-essential  pipe  smoked,  the  object  of 
their  visit  was  disclosed.  The  Fort  Rupert 
Indians,  residing  at  the  Indian  village  and  trading- 
post  we  were  en  route  to  visit,  had  very  recently 
made  a  raid  on  the  Nainimo  savages.  In  the  foray, 
the  old  chief  had  been  killed,  several  braves  se- 
riously injured,  and,  what  was  worse  than  all, 
the  favourite  wife  of  the  deceased  dignitary  had 
been  seized,  and  carried  off  a  slave.     The  young 


*-"ff»»"  —^a 


RUN   ACROSS   THE   GULF   OF   GEORGIA. 


1A5 


chief,  it  seems,  had  loved  tliewife  of  his  predecessor, 
and  was  willing  to  pay  any  ransom  for  his  lost 
darling.  After  a  long  'wa-wa'  (talk),  the  captain 
consented  to  effect  a  purchase,  if  possible,  and 
bring  back,  on  our  return,  the  lost  one  to  the 
arms  of  her  sable  lover. 

We  had  a  pleasant  run  across  the  Gulf  of 
Georgia,  and  anchored  at  10  p.m.  in  killings' 
Harbour  (much  like  a  small  duck-pond),  in 
Faveda  Island.  The  next  morning,  again  under 
weigh  at  t'»  a.m.,  raining,  as  the  captain  said, 
*  marlinespikes,'  we  steamed  past  a  group  of 
islands,  behind  which  is  Malospina  Strait.  From 
this  strait,  Jarvis's  Inlet  runs  like  an  immense 
canal  for  a  distance  (I  believe)  of  fifty  miles 
inland. 

Here  the  gulf  widens  out  like  the  open  sea, 
and  little  can  be  seen  of  the  land  until  the  ex- 
treme south-east  point  of  Valdes  Island  is  reached, 
known  as  Point  Mudge,  betwixt  which  and  Van- 
couver Island  is  a  narrow  channel,  not  more 
than  a  mile  in  width,  called  Discovery  Passagi*. 

About  a  mile  from  its  entrance,  we  passed  a 
large  Indian  village,  the  home  of  the  Tah-cul-tas, 
a  powerful  band,  of  most  predatory  habits,  and 
generally  at  war  with  the  different  tribes  north 
and  south  of  them ;  they   own  a  large  fleet    of 


156 


THE   RAPIDS. 


li 


11 


! 


1^ 


canoes,  a  ;rrcat  many  slaves,  and  scalp  and  plun- 
der all  they  can  lay  hands  on. 

For  a  distance  of  fourteen  miles  Discovery 
Passage  is  much  the  same  width,  until  reaching 
Menzics  Bay,  where  the  ra[)ids  commence.  At 
the  base  of  these  rapids,  the  channel,  barely  a 
quarter  of  a  mile  wide,  suddenly  opens  out  into 
a  large  pond-like  space.  The  tide  rushes  down 
the  narrow  passage  at  the  rate  of  ten  knots  an 
hour,  and  to  get  up  through  it  was  as  much 
as  our  little  steamer  could  accomplish.  Panting 
and  struggling,  and  sometimes  hardly  moving, 
at  others  she  was  carried  violently  against  the 
shore,  until  by  slow  degrees  she  breasted  the 
current  and  got  safely  through.  I  could  not  help 
wondering  how  Captain  Vancouver  ever  managed 
to  get  his  ship  up  this  terrible  place,  so  difficult 
even  when  aided  by  the  power  of  steam. 

Above  the  rapids  the  passage  again  widens  to 
Point  Chatham,  the  north-west  termination  of 
Discovery  Passsge.  We  puff  by  Thurlow  Island, 
divided  from  Valdes  Island  by  the  Nodales 
Canal,  and  anchor  in  a  snug  harbour  named 
Blenkinsop's  Anchorage.  We  start  again  at  sun- 
up, the  fifth  morning  since  leaving  Victoria. 
As  we  steamed  steadily  along  through  John- 
ston's Straits,  I  could  recall  to  my  remembrance 


JOHNSTON  S   STUAITS. 


i.i: 


no  scenery  that  was  comparable,  in  wild  jvnn- 
(leiir  and  picturesque  f^roupinnf,  to  the  scenery 
iui\  my  lei't/  ^V\ni  coast-line  of  \'anc()uver  Island 
I)resented  a  series  of  small  projectirif^  headlands; 
tiie  bays  and  creeks  between,  seldom  rippled  by 
the  breeze,  are  very  Kdens  for  wildfowl.  In 
the  backfrrouiid,  the  hills  rise  sharp  and  conical, 
at  this  time  crowned  with  snow,  but  all  alike 
densely  tindjered.  In  the  distance,  llurdwicke 
Island,  like  a  floating  emerald,  hid  the  water 
beyond  it.  To  the  right,  islands  of  all  sizes 
and  shapes,  so  thick  that  one  might  suppose  it 
had  rained  islands  at  some  time  or  other:  on 
the  least  of  them  grew  pine-trees,  any  of  which 
would  have  made  a  mainmast  for  the  largest 
ship  ever  built.  I  have  again  and  again  threaded 
the  intricate  passages  through  the  *Lake  of  a 
Thousand  Islands,'  in  the  Great  St.  Lawrence; 
but  I  say,  without  fear  of  contradiction,  that 
the  scenery  from  Chatham  Point  to  the  mouth 
of  the  Nimkish  river  is  wilder,  bolder,  and  in 
every  respect  more  beautiful,  lovely  as  I  admit 
the  Canadian  scenery  to  be. 

The  ship-channel  hugs  the  shore  of  Vancouver 
Island,  passing  close  to  Cormorant,  Haddington, 
and  Malcolm  Islands,  and  the  mouth  of  the 
Kimkish  river,  navigable  for  canoes  some  con- 


*i 


!  i 


KjjIiiKiii. 


158 


NIMKISH   VILLAGE. 


siderable  distance.  This  stream  is  used  by  the 
Hudson's  Bay  traders  to  reach  the  western  side 
of  Vancouver  Island.  Ascending  it  in  canoes 
as  far  as  practicable,  about  two  days'  walking 
brings  them  to  Nootka  Sound. 

At  the  mouth  of  the  river,  1  saw  the  village  of 
the  Nimkish  Indians,  situated  on  a  table-land 
overhanging  the  sea,  and  inaccessible  save  by 
ascending  a  vertical  cliff  of  smooth  rock — a  feat 
nothing  but  a  fly  could  manage,  unaided;  but 
the  redskins  have  a  ladder,  made  of  cedar-bark 
rope,  which  they  can  haul  up  and  lower  at  will. 
The  ladder  up,  the  place  is  impregnable.  Safe 
themselves,  they  can  quietly  bowl  over  their 
enemies,  and  sink  their  canoes. 

These  Kimkish  Indians  speak  of  nnother  tribe 
that  they  call  Sau-kau-lutuck,  who  have  never 
seen  or  traded  with  white  peo})le.  Their  story, 
as  interpreted  for  me  by  Mr.  ^lofFat,  the  chief 
trader  at  Fort  Rupert — who  told  me  he  quite 
believed  it  to  be  true — was  as  follows: — 

'In  crossing  over  to  the  west  side  of  the  island, 
on  a  war-path,  the  Nimkis  discovered  these  In- 
dians  by  accident,  took  several  of  them  prisoners, 
whom  they  subsequently  used  as  slaves,  taking 
also  skins,  and  what  other  property  they  had 
worth  plundering.     They  are  said  to  live  on  the 


i 


BEAVER    HARBOUR. 


]59 


I ' 


edge  of  a  lake,  and  subsist  principally  on  deer 
and  bear,  and  such  fish  as  they  can  take  in  the 
lake.  They  own  no  canoes,  neither  do  they 
know  the  use  of  firearms,  their  ordy  weapons 
being  the  bow,  arrow,  and  spear.* 

The  wind  came  on  to  blow  as  we  left  this 
interesting  spot,  and  soon  increased  to  a  gale 
from  the  south-east,  making  the  Otter  rock  most 
unpleasantly  in  the  cradle  of  the  deep.  About 
10  A.M.  we  ran  into  I'eavcr  Harbour,  our  destin- 
ation. This  so-called  harbour,  being  nothing 
more  than  an  open  roadstead,  is  disagreeably 
rough ;  a  heavy  sea  rolls  angrily  in,  dashing  in 
foamy  breakers  on  the  rocky  coast. 

We  anchor  about  a  mile  from  shore,  the 
captain  deeming  it  unsafe  to  venture  nearer. 
To  announce  our  arrival,  a  gun  is  to  be  fired : 
this,  I  observed,  was  rather  a  service  of  danger 
to  the  sailor  who  had  to  touch  it  off,  as  it  was 
just  an  equal  chance  whether  the  bulk  of  the 
charnre  came  throu^^h  the  barrel  or  the  touch- 
hole ;  the  latter  having  become  so  capacious  from 
rust  and  long  usage,  as  to  necessitate  the  em- 
ployment of  an  enormously  long  wand,  with  a 
piece  of  lighted  slow-match  tied  to  the  end  of  it. 
All  hands  having  cleared  away,  and  carefully 
concealed  themselves,  the  wand  slowly  appears 


1 1 


i 


'/ 


160 


FLEET    OF    INDIAN    CANOES. 


!  i  ( 


( 

m 
i'  I- 


N 


from  a  secure  liidin/r-place,  and  the  wheezy  bang 
proclaims  '  all 's  safe.' 

The  report  was  still  echoing  through  the 
distant  hills,  when  countless  tiny  specks  were 
discernible,  dancing  over  the  waves  like  birds. 
On  they  came,  a  perfect  shoal  of  them,  nearer 
and  nearer,  all  evidently  bound  for  the  ship.  T 
could  make  out  clearly  now,  that  these  specks 
were  canoes  filled  with  Indian^  By  this  time 
our  boat  was  lowered ;  how  I  got  into  it,  I  never 
clearly  remember:  1  have  a  dim  recollection  of 
descending  a  rope  with  great  rapidity,  and 
finding  myself  sprawling  in  the  bottom,  and 
being  dragged  up  by  the  caj)tain,  much  after 
the  fashion  adopted  by  clowns  in  a  pantomime  to 
reinstate  the  prostrate  pantaloon  upon  his  legs. 
At  any  rate  1  was  safe,  and  the  boat,  propelled 
by  four  sturdy  rowers,  neared  the  shore. 

On  looking  round,  1  observed  the  canoes  had 
all  turned  towards  us,  and  we  were  soon  sur- 
rounded by  the  most  extraordinary  fleet  I  had 
ever  beheld.  The  canoes  were  of  all  sizes,  vary- 
ing from  those  used  for  war  purposes,  hold- 
ing thirty  men,  to  the  cockleshell  paddled  by  a 
squaw.  With  the  exception  of  a  bit  of  skin,  or 
an  old  blanket  tied  round  the  waist,  the  savages 
were  all  perfectly  nude  ;  their  long  black  hair 
hung  in  tangled  elf-locks  down  their  backs,  their 


RECEPTION   AT    FORT   RUPERT. 


161 


faces  and  bodies  painted  in  most  fantastic  pat- 
terns, with  red  and  white.  Keeping  steadily 
along  with  us,  they  continually  relieved  their 
feelings  by  giving  utterance  to  the  most  wild 
and  fiendish  yells  that  ever  came  from  human 
throats. 

As  we  neared  the  landing,  I  could  see  the  chief 
trader  of  the  Hudson's  Bny  Company,  conspicu- 
ously white  amidst  a  group  of  redskins,  waiting 
to  receive  us.  The  boat  grated  on  the  shingles 
some  distance  from  the  l)each,  white  with  spray. 
'  Surely  you  don't  expect  me  to  go  ashore  like 
a  seal?  '  I  appealingly  enquired  of  the  captain. 
Before  he  had  time  to  reply,  four  powerful 
savages,  up  to  their  waists  in  water,  fisted  me  out 
of  the  boat;  and  two  takin<j  mv  heels,  and  two 
my  shoulders,  they  bore  me  safely  to  the  shore. 

Having  handed  my  letters  of  hitroduction  from 
his  Excellency  the  Governor  to  the  chief  trader, 
I  was  presented  to  the  chiefs  as  a  ILjas  tyee 
(great  chief),  one  of '  King  George's '  men.  So  we 
shook  hands,  and  I  attempted  to  move  towards 
the  fort;  it  was  not  to  be  done.  To  use  the 
mildest  term,  I  was  'mobbed;'  old  savages  and 
young  savages,  old  squaws  and  young  squaws, 
even  to  boy  and  girl  savage,  rushed  lUiJ  scraml)led 
to  shake  hands  with  me.    Had  I  Ijicn  a  "  pump' 

VOL.  I.  M 


It 


'i 


163 


MAGNIFICENT   SCENERY. 


on  a  desert,  suiTOunded  by  thirst-famished  In- 
dians, and  each  arm  a  handle,  they  could  not 
have  been  more  vigorously  plied.  Being  rescued 
at  last  by  the  combined  efforts  of  trader  and 
captain,  I  was  marched  into  the  fort,  the  gates 
shut  with  a  heavy  clang,  and  most  thankful  was 
I  to  be  safe  from  any  further  demonstrations  of 
friendship.  The  evening  passed  rapidly  and 
pleasantly ;  mine  host  was  a  thorough  sportsman, 
full  of  anecdote,  and  hospitable  to  a  fault. 

Awaking  early,  I  wandered  out,  and  up  into 
the  bastion  of  the  fort.  The  sun  was  creeping 
from  behind  the  ragged  peaks  of  the  Cascade 
Mountains,  tinting  with  rosy  light  their  snow- 
clad  summits ;  the  wind  had  lulled,  or  gone  off 
to  sea  on  some  boisterous  errand ;  the  harbour, 
quite  smooth,  looked  like  burnished  silver. 
There  was  a  wild  grandeur  about  the  scene,  that 
awoke  feelings  of  awe  rather  than  admiration ; 
everywhere  vast  piles  of  craggy  mountains,  clad 
from  the  snow-line  to  the  sea  with  dense  pine- 
forests  ;  not  an  open  grassy  spot,  or  even  a  naked 
mass  of  rock,  peeped  out  to  break  the  fearful 
monotony  of  these  interminable  hills. 

The  trading-post  is  a  square,  enclosed  by  im- 
mense trees,  one  end  sunk  in  the  ground ;  the 
trees  are  lashed  together.     A  platform,  about  the 


THE    TRADING-rOST. 


163 


height  of  an  ordinary  man  from  the  top  of  these 
pickets,  is  carried  along  the  sides  of  this  square, 
so  as  to  enable  anyone  to  peep  over  without 
being  in  danger  from  an  arrow  or  bullet.  The 
entrance  is  closed  by  t'vo  massive  gates,  an  inner 
and  outer;  all  the  houses — the  chief  trader's, 
employes',  trading-house,  fur-room,  and  stores — 
are  within  the  square.  The  trade-room  is 
cleverly  contrived  so  as  to  prevent  a  sudden 
I'ush  of  Indians;  the  approadi,  from  outside  the 
pickets,  is  by  a  long  narrow  passage,  bent  at  an 
acute  angle  near  the  window  of  the  trade-room, 
and  only  of  a  sufficient  width  to  admit  one  savage 
at  a  time.  (This  precaution  is  necessary,  inas- 
mucli  as,  were  the  passage  straight,  they  would 
inevitably  shoot  the  trader.) 

At  the  an^rles  nearest  the  Indian  villaore  are 
two  bastions,  octagonal  in  shape,  and  of  a  very 
doubtful  style  of  architeci  ure.  Four  embrasures 
in  each  bastion  would  lead  the  uninitiated  to 
believe  in  the  existence  of  as  many  formidable 
cannon,  with  rammers,  sponges,  neat  piles  of 
round-shot  and  grape,  magazines  of  powder,  and 
ready  hands  to  load  and  fire — and,  at  the  sliglitest 
symptom  of  hostility,  to  work  havoc  and  de- 
struction, on  any  red- skinned  rebels  daring  to 
dispute   the   supremacy   of  the   Hudson's    Boy 

M  2 


I 


!| 


H 


164 


THE    FORTIFICATIONS. 


m 

i  ii 

lit!  I 


Company.  Imagine  my  surprise,  on  entering  this 
fortress,  to  discover  all  this  a  pleasant  fiction ; 
two  small  rusty  carronades,  buried  in  the  ac- 
cumulated dust  and  rubbish  of  years,  that  nn 
human  power  could  h)ad,  were  the  sole  occupants 
of  the  mouldy  old  turrets. 

The  bell  for  breakfast  recalling  me,  I  jokingly 
inquired  of  the  trader  if  he  had  ever  been  obliged 
to  use  thfe  4Cannon  ^br  defensive  purposes.  He 
laughed  as  he  replied,  '  There  is  a  tradition  that, 
at  some  remote  period,  the  guns  were  actually 
fired,  not  at  the  rebellious  natives,  but  over  their 
heads ;  instead  of  being  terror-stricken  at  the 
white  man's  thunder,  away  they  all  scampered  in 
pursuit  of  the  ball,  found  it,  and,  marching  in 
triumph  back  to  the  fort-gate,  oftered  to  trade  it, 
that  it  might  be  fired  again  ! ' 

Breakfast  finished,  the  trader,  captain,  and 
myself  started  for  the  village.  Clear  of  the 
gates,  we  scrambled  down  a  rocky  path,  crossed 
a  mountain-burn,  dividing  the  Indians  from  the 
fort,  and  entered  '  the  city  of  the  redskins ;'  which 
consists  of  a  long  row  of  huts,  each  hut  nearly 
square,  the  exterior  fantastically  frescoed  in 
hieroglyphic  patterns,  in  white,  red,  {uul  blue  ; 
havin":  however  a  s\  inbolical  nieanin"-  or  her;ldic 
value,  like  the  tofinii  of  the  Indians  east  of  the 


CITY    OF   THE    REDSKINS. 


1G5 


Rocky  Mountains;  four  immense  trees,  barked 
and  worked  smooth,  support  each  corner;  the  tops 
are  carved  to  resemble  some  horrible  monster: 
the  hut  is  constructed  of  cedar-plank,  chipped 
I'rom  the  solid  tree  with  chisels  and  hatchets 
made  of  stone :  many  hands  combine  to  accom- 
plish this;  hence  a  hut  becomes  the  joint  pro- 
])erty  of  several  families.  Five  tribes  live  in 
this  villa;^e : — 

(^ua-kars,  miinbering  iil>uut  MOO  warriors, 

(^ual-ijuilths       .,  „  100         „ 

Kum-cutes  .,  „        70 

Wan-lish  „  „        80 

Lock-qiiH-lillas  „  „        80 


»» 


The  entire  population,  even  to  the  dogs, 
turned  out  on  our  advent;  it  was  puzzling  to 
imagine  where  they  idl  came  from.  We  soon 
formed  the  centre  of  the  vilest  assemblage  man 
ever  beheld.  The  object  of  our  visit  made  known, 
a  ring  was  immediately  formed  by  chiefs  and 
braves,  the  squaws  and  children  being  outside. 
Had  any  charming  princess,  captive  in  an  en- 
chanted castle,  been  guarded  by  such  a  collec- 
tion of  painted  ragamuffins  as  now  surrounded 
us,  he  woidd  liave  been  a  valorous  knight  that 
dared  venture  to  release  her. 

The  first  f|uestion  discussed  being  the  i)rice,  a 


'm 


BARGAINING   FOR   A   CAPTIVE. 


much  larger  sum  was  asked  than  we  felt  disposed 
to  pay.  Although  the  slave  belonged  solely  to 
one  Indian,  the  power  to  sell  resting  with  him 
only,  still  every  one  had  their  say.  Men 
gurgled  and  spluttered  strange  unintelligible 
noises,  women  chattered  and  screamed  like  furies, 
whilst  children  engaged  in  small  battles  outside 
the  ring. 

Thirty  blankets  and  two  trade-guns — equal  to 
about  50/.  sterling — were  the  terms  at  last 
agreed  on.  We  then  adjourned  to  the  shed  where 
the  slave  was  a  prisoner.  I  was  in  a  great  state 
of  expectation,  picturing  to  myself  an  Indian 
Hebe,  limbs  exquisitely  moulded,  native  grace 
and  elegance  in  every  movement,  gorgeous  in 
'  wampum,'  paint,  and  waving  feathers,  such  as 
I  had  read  of  as  '  Laughing  Water,'  or  '  Prairie 
Flower.* 

Being  carried,  so  to  speak,  into  the  shed — a 
waif  in  the  stream  of  savages  rushing  like  a 
human  torrent  to  get  in — with  all  the  breath 
squeezed  out  of  me,  I  was  deposited  somewhere ; 
but  as  my  head  was  enveloped  in  a  dense  cloud 
of  pungent  smoke,  it  was  some  time  ere  I  dis- 
covered I  was  close  to  the  captain.  'Sit  down,' 
he  roared ;  '  you  will  die  of  suffocation  if  you 
keep  your  head  in  the  smoke.'     At  once  I  seated 


1 


INTERIOR   OP   AN   INDIAN  LODGE. 


167 


myself  on  the  floor,  and  now  quite  understand 
what  being  suffocated  in  a  chimney  is  like. 

Once  more  enabled  to  see,  it  was  easy  to  dis- 
cover the  secret :  there  being  no  place  for  the 
smoke  to  escape,  it  accumulates  at  the  top  of  the 
shed,  and  one  literally,  not  figuratively,  'lives 
under  a  cloud.'  There  was  a  hum  and  a  burr, 
as  in  a  nest  of  angry  hornets ;  a  din  in- 
creased by  the  dogs,  that  fought  and  rolled  in 
where  I  sat ;  and  being  by  no  means  particular 
whether  they  bit  my  legs  or  any  other  man's, 
it  required  unwonted  agility  to  keep  clear. 

During  an  interval  of  peace,  it  was  easy  to 
make  out  that  the  slave  was  coming.  Alas !  how 
fleeting  are  imaginary  pictures — poetic  dreams — 
castles  in  the  air !  Half  crouching,  and  waddling 
rather  than  walking,  came  my  ideal ;  her  only 
covering,  a  ragged,  filthy  old  blanket,  her  face 
begrimed  -with  the  dirt  and  paint  of  a  lifetime  ; 
short,  fat,  repulsive,  the  incarnation  of  ugliness, 
a  very  Hecate !  All  my  romance  vanished  like  a 
dissolving-view.  For  this  had  I  been  squeezed 
nearly  to  death,  suffocated,  poisoned  with  a 
noxious  stench,  my  legs  imperilled  by  infuriated 
curs,  my  ears  deafened,  half  devoured  b}''  insati- 
able blood-suckers?— to  aid  in  paying  50/.  for  the 
ugliest  old  savage  eyes  ever  beheld ! 


1 


168 


THE   CAPTIVE    HANDED  OVER. 


All  the  cliiot's  nssembled  at  the  fort  in  the 
cvt'iiing  to  receive  payment,  and  hand  over  the 
nhive.  Squatting  on  their  heels,  nose  and  knees 
together,  their  backs  against  the  wall,  they 
furnied  n  circle.  The  pipe  produced  (nothing 
can  be  done  without  it);  I  say  pipe,  fur  one 
only  is  used;  filled  and  lighted,  it  passes  from 
mouth  to  mouth :  each,  taking  a  good  pull,  puffs 
the  smoke  slowly  from  his  nostrils.  The  thirty 
)>lankets  and  two  guns  being  j)iled  in  the  centre 
of  this  stnmge  assemblage,  the  slave  was  led 
in.  Each  blanket  underwent  a  most  careful 
insi)ection  ;  the  guns,  snajiped  and  pointed,  were 
finally  approved  of.  A  husky  grunt,  from  each 
of  the  council,  denoting  general  approval,  the 
guns  and  blankets  were  carried  off  in  triumph, 
and  we  became  the  fortunate  possessors  of  this 
strange  purchase. 

Whilst  in  the  fort  I  was  tolerably  exenipt 
from  the  insatiable  and  most  annoying  curio- 
sity, that  ijiduces  Indians  to  watch  everything 
a  stranger  does.  One  oily  old  chief,  however, 
always  contrived  to  get  into  my  room  in  time  to 
see  me  dress.  He  used  to  stalk  in,  squat  down 
rolled  in  a  dirty  blanket,  and  testify  his  pleasure 
by  a  series  of  grunts  slightly  varied  in  tone. 
He    was    certainly   the    most    blubbery-looking 


\ 


AN   OILY    OLD   CHIEF. 


man  I  ever  bchclcl.  Everything  about  him  wna 
suggestive  of  oil,  from  his  head  to  his  heels, 
hlaiiket  included;  like  a  compound  of  salmon 
and  seal's  flesh,  he  smelt  quite  as  oily  as  he 
looked.  Outside,  however,  there  was  no  help  for 
it :  go  where  I  would,  a  bodyguard  of  savages 
(real  untamed  savages  too,  not  semi-civilised 
articles)  was  always  in  attendance. 

Once  I  managed  to  escape  through  the  pickets 
at  the  back  of  the  fort,  and  stealthily  reaching  the 
beach,  under  cover  of  the  trees,  imagined  myself 
safe.  A  light  misty  rain  fell  thickly,  and  a 
flock  of  sanderlings,  running  along  in  the  ripple, 
completely  absorbed  my  attention.  I  was  sud- 
denly startled  by  hearing  the  '  crunch,  crunch '  of 
a  foot  in  the  shingle  behind  me.  I  had  looked 
right  and  left  on  reaching  the  beach,  but  not  a 
trace  of  Indian  was  visible.  Turning  suddenly 
round,  you  can  picture  my  surprise  at  finding  my- 
self fiice  to  face  with  a  savage,  unclad  from  head 
to  heel,  carrying — what  should  you  imagine  ? — nut 
a  scalping-knife,  or  a  war-club,  or  bow  or  spear 
or  gory  scalp :  it  was  an  immense  green  gingham 
umbrella,  a  thoroughbred  '  Gamp,'  with  horn 
crook,  battered  brass  ferule,  furled  with  a  ring 
such  as  curtains  are  hung  on.  He  politely 
ofi'ered  me  a  part,  and  scarcely  deeming  it  safe 


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23  WEST  MAIN  STREET 

WEBSTER,  N.Y.  14S80 

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170 


A   NOVEL   PROMENADE. 


to  refuse,  I  paraded  the  beach,  linked  arm-in- 
arm  with  the  ugliest  specimen  of  humanity  eyes 
ever  beheld.  I  wonder  if,  before  or  since,  a  naked 
savage  and  civilised  man  ever  walked  together 
on  the  sea-beach,  listening  to  'what  the  wild 
waves  were  saying,'  sheltered  from  the  rain  by  a 
green  gingham  umbrella!  I  trow  not.  I  should 
have  been  no  more  astonished  at  seeing  a  seal,  or 
old  Neptune  himself,  with  an  umbrella,  than  I 
was  at  a  naked  Indian  so  protected  on  the  beach 
at  Fort  Rupert. 

This  was  not  my  only  adventure  whilst  stay- 
ing at  the  fort.  The  beach  runs  out  very  flat 
for  a  long  distance  seaward;  the  rocks  appear 
a  slaty  kind  of  shingle,  with  seams  of  coal  crop- 
ping out  in  every  direction.  The  pines  (Abies 
Douglassii)  grow  down  to  highwater-mark,  at- 
taining a  height  of  250  feet  and  over,  straight 
as  a  flagstafl^.  On  the  branches  are  placed 
quaint-looking  affairs,  that  you  discover,  on  in- 
quiry, to  be  coffins;  but  how  the  friends  of 
the  departed  get  the  boxes  up  into  the  trees,  or 
how  they  keep  them  there  when  they  are  up, 
is  more  than  I  can  tell.  The  coffin  is  usu- 
ally an  old  canoe,  lashed  round  and  round, 
like  an  Egyptian  mummy-case,  with  the  inner 
bark   of  the  cedar-tree ;   but  of  this,  and  other 


ARBOREAL   CEMETERIES. 


171 


singular  customs,  I  shall  have  to  speak  more  at 
length  in  a  future  chapter. 

Near  one  of  these  arboreal  cemeteries,  I  ob- 
served a  high  pole,  and  dangling  from  it  a  head, 
fresh,  bloody,  and  ghastly;  the  scalp  had  been 
removed,  and  a  rope,  passing  through  the  under- 
jaw,  served  to  suspend  it.  Hombly  revolting  as 
the  face  appeared,  still  I  could  not  help  going 
close  to  it.  Never  had  I  seen  so  singular  a 
head;  it  looked  in  shape  like  a  sugarloaf,  the 
apex  of  the  skull  terminating  in  a  sharp  point. 
On  returning  to  the  fort,  I  inquired  if  they  could 
tell  me  anything  about  this  mysterious  head. 
It  appeared  that,  a  day  or  so  before  our  arrival, 
a  war-party  of  the  Qua-kars  had  returned  from 
a  raid  on  the  mainland  coast,  and  brought  with 
them  a  number  of  slaves.  (Prisoners  taken  in 
war,  or  in  any  other  manner,  are  invariably  used 
as  slaves,  bought  and  sold,  whipped  or  killed, 
as  best  befits  the  whim  oi'  caprice  of  their 
owner.)  Amongst  the  wretched  captives,  was  a 
chief.  Soon  after  landing,  he  was  made  fast 
to  a  temporaiy  cross  erected  on  the  beach,  shot, 
scalped,  and  beheaded,  and  it  was  his  head  I 
had  seen  in  my  rambles.  On  hearing  further 
that  the  tribe  to  which  he  belonged  was  one 
that  elongate  instead  of  flatten  the  head,  I  de- 


173 


BAGGING   A   CHIEF  S   HEAD. 


termined  at  any  risk  to  have  the  skull.*  Ex- 
treme caution  was  needed,  or  a  like  fate  would 
probably  be  mine ;  a  white  chief's  hairless  head 
might  possibly  adorn  the  same  pole  as  that  ol 
the  painted  savage.  1  made  several  attempts, 
but  each  time  signally  failed  to  accomplish  my 
purpose.  -    , 

The  night  preceding  our  departure,  all  hopes 
of  obtaining  the  coveted  head  were  nearly  aban- 
doned. Fortune  at  last  smiled  upon  me;  unob- 
served, I  upset  the  pole,  and  bagged  the  head ; 
and  pushing  it  into  my  game-bag,  got  safely  into 
the  fort.  Still  in  terror  of  being  seen,  I  hid  it  in 
the  bastion,  and  eventually  headed  it  into  a  pork 
barrel,  with  stones  and  sand ;  then  had  it  rolled 
boldly  out,  and  put  on  board  the  steamer. 

On  our  departure  the  following  morning,  I 
was  rejoiced  to  lind  the  head  had  not  been 
missed,  but  somewhat  frightened,  on  learning 
1  was  to  be  paddled  to  the  steamer,  in  the 
state-canoe  of  the  chief  to  whom  the  trophy 
belonged.  In  grand  procession,  we  marched 
from  the  fort  to  the  canoe,  marshalled  by 
the  dingy  dignitary,  who,  in  happy  ignorance 
of  the  wrong  I  had  done  him,  was  all  smiles 
and  grins ;  the  final  hand-shaking  being  accom- 

*  Vide  Illustration. 


DEPARTURE   FROM   FORT   RUPERT.' 


173 


plished,  I  was  lifted  into  the  canoe  in  the  same 
fashion  as  I  had  been  previously  lifted  out,  and 
rapidly  reached  the  steamer. 

The  chief  came  on  board  the  steamer  whilst 
the  anchor  was  beinfj  weighed.  Imadne  what 
I  felt  when  he  seated  himself  deliberately  upon 
the  cask  wherein  I  had  hid  his  property.  The 
wished-for  moment  came,  the  wheels  splashed 
slowly  round,  my  plundered  friend  was  bowed 
over  the  side,  and  not  until  the  smoke  of  the 
lodge-fires,  and  the  fading  outline  of  the  village, 
grew  dim  in  the  distance,  did  I  feel  my  scalp 
safe.  The  head  is  now  in  the  Osteological 
Room  of  the  British  Museum,  and  well  worth 
investigation  by  any  who  may  be  curious  to 
compare  the  effect  of  circular  pressure  with 
that  of  the  flat-head.*  Skulls  similarly  flattened 
were  also  brought  by  me  from  Vancouver  Island. 

We  again  called  at  Nanaimo  on  our  return, 
and,  whilst  'coaling,'  delivered  the  ransomed 
lady  safely  into  the  hands  of  her  owner.  At 
the  same  time  three  hundred  Indians  from  Queen 
Charlotte's  Island  landed,  en  route  to  Victoria, 
arriving  in  large  canoes,  each  holding  about 
twenty  Indians  and  their  baggage.  These 
canoes  were  not  at  all  similar  to  any  I  had  seen 


11 


*  Vide  Illustration. 


174 


QUEEN   CHARLOTTE  S   ISLANDERS. 


at  Fort  Rupert,  or  to  those  used  by  the  Coast  and 
Fraser  river  Indians.  The  shape  was  similar  to 
the  boats  one  sees  in  very  old  pictures,  filled 
with  sailors  in  armour,  the  bow  and  stem 
carved  to  represent  a  neck,  bearing  on  it  some 
hideous  grinning  monster's  head. 

Their  chief,  named  Edin-saw,  once  saved  the 
crew  of  a  small  schooner,  the  '  Susan  Sturges,' 
from  being  killed  by  the  islanders  under  his 
control.  The  vessel  was  wrecked  on  Queen 
Charlotte's  Island,  and  the  crew  subsequently 
ransomed.  This  little  army  of  savages  reached 
Victoria  safely,  having  taken  four  months  to 
make  the  voyage ;  threading  all  the  difficult  and 
dangerous  straits,  with  the  risk  of  capture  from 
other  tribes,  exposed  to  all  the  vicissitudes  of 
weather,  in  open  canoes  as  easily  upset  as  a  child's 
cradle. 

Reaching  Victoria  in  safety,  I  proceeded  up 
the  Eraser,  and  for  the  first  time  witnessed 
sturgeon-spearing.  ;  ■ 


STURGEON-SPEARING. 


175 


CHAPTER  VII. 


STURGEON-SPEARING MANSCCKER — CLAMS. 


The  Sturgeon  found  in  North-western  waters 
diflfers  only  in  some  unimportant  specific  dis- 
tinctions from  the  one  living  in  the  pond  of  the 
Zoological  Society's  Gardens,  in  the  Regent's 
Park.  Accipenser  transmontanus  is  the  name 
given  by  Sir  J.  Richardson  to  sturgeon  that 
frequent  rivers  that  flow  into  the  St.  Lawrence, 
on  the  east  side  of  the  Rocky  Mountains,  but 
unknown  in  streams  that  fall  into  the  Arctic 
Ocean.  On  the  western  side  sturgeon  abound 
in  the  Columbia,  Fraser,  and  most  other  rivers 
as  far  north  as  lat.  53°  N.  It  is  certainly  not  a 
handsome  fish  to  look  at,  reminding  one  of  a 
shark  in  armour;  yet,  clad  as  he  is  from  head 
to  tail  in  bony  mail,  every  movement  is  easy 
and  graceful. 

Sp  Ch. — Five  rows  of  plates  encase  the  body : 
the  row  along  the  back  is  most  prominent,  and 
contains  fifteen  shields.     The  cheeks  are  flatj  the 


176 


THE   STURGEON. 


snout  terminating  in  an  acute  point,  remark- 
ably flexible  and  trunklike  in  its  movements. 
Four  barbels  dangle  from  beneath  the  snout, 
situated  about  mid-distance  between  its  point 
and  the  orbit.  The  mouth  is  underneath/ 
resembling  a  huge  flabby  sucker  in  the  freshly- 
caught  fish.  Nevertheless,  as  his  habit  is  to 
prowl  about  the  mud  and  gravel  at  the  bottom, 
it  is  in  reality  the  very  best  kind  of  mouth 
that  could  have  been  given.  The  barbels  that 
hang  before  are  clearly  delicate  feelers,  intended 
to  give  warning,  that  game  suitable  for  food — 
disturbed  probably  by  the  flexible  nose — is  near ; 
the  nose  is  employed  to  stir  up  the  mud,  turn 
over  stones,  or  in  exploring  the  hiding-places 
of  prey  amidst  the  rocks  and  heavy  boulders. 
The  eyes  are  small  and  golden-yellow  in  the 
newly-caught  fish,  but  change  immediately  after 
death. 

The  great  extent  and  strength  of  the  pectorals, 
which  are  nearly  horizontal,  show  us  that,  in 
addition  to  their  acting  as  oars  and  rudder,  they 
are  also  powerful  assistants  in  bringing  the  great 
fleshy  mouth  to  bear  upon  anything  discovered 
by  the  barbels.  Female  fish  are  taken  full  of 
roe  in  the  Fraser  during  the  montlj  of  June,  and 
sometimes  later ;  but  where  they  deposit  the  ova 


. 


THE   STURGEON. 


m 


or  what  becomes  of  the  young  after  leaving  the 
eggs,  are  mysteries.  I  never  saw  a  small  stur- 
geon, but  have  no  doubt  most  of  the  young 
fish  descend  to  the  sea,  although  it  is  equally 
certain  numbers  remain  entirely  in  the  fresh- 
water. Madame  Sturgeon's  family  is  by  no 
means  a  small  one:  a  bushel  of  eggs  is  not 
an  unusual  quantity  for  a  female  fish  to  yield ; 
a  great  many  thousands,  although  I  do  not 
know  how  many  eggs  a  bushel  contains.  The 
Indians  dry  these  eggs  in  the  sun  and  devour 
them  with  oil,  as  we  eat  currants  and  cream. 
It  would  surely  pay  to  prepare  caiaiare  on  the 
Russian  plan,  even  to  send  it  to  the  English 
market.  A  rough  kind  of  isinglass  was  at  one 
time  prepared  by  the  Fraser  river  Indians  and 
traded  by  the  Hudson's  Bay  Company,  but  even 
that  branch  of  industry  has  ceased  to  flourish 
since  the  '  Golden  Age.'  Indians  are  exceed- 
ingly fond  of  sturgeon-flesh,  and  usually  demand 
a  hijh  price  for  it. 

Fe\\'  fish  have  a  wider  geographical  range  than 
sturgeon.  On  our  own  coasts,  we  find  them 
frequenting  the  mouths  of  rivers  and  muddy 
estuaries.  When  caught  in  the  Thames,  within 
the  jurisdiction  of  the  lord  mayor  of  London, 
it  is  considered  a  royal  fish ;  implying,  that  the 


/ 


VOL.  I. 


N 


178 


THE   STURGEON. 


fish  ought  to  be  sent  to  the  king,  though  how  far 
the  sovereign's  rights  in  the  matter  are  actually 
considered,  seems  to  be  somewhat  doubtful. 
It  is  said,  however,  that  the  sturgeon  was  ex- 
clusively reserved  for  the  table  of  the  king  in 
the  time  of  Henry  I. 

In  the  Fraser  and  Columbia  rivers,  and  in  all 
the  streams  of  any  magnitude  from  latitude 
46°19'  N.  to  Sitka,  latitude  53°  N.,  the  sturgeon 
is  found  abundantly;  as  also  in  Northern  Asia, 
where  it  forms  an  article  of  vast  commercial 
value,  the  well-known  and  much-prized  caviare 
being  made  from  its  roe,  and  that  almost  in- 
dispensable household  necessary,  isinglass,  from 
its  air-bladder.  The  long  ligamentous  cord, 
traversing  the  entire  length  of  the  spine,  con- 
stitutes another  delicacy,  called  vesiga,  much 
relished  by  the  Russians.  The  flesh  also  is 
eaten,  cooked  in  various  ways,  and  held  in  no 
mean  estimation.  Turkey,  Italy,  Gennany,  and 
Greece  (especially  the  two  latter)  are  great  mar- , 
kets  for  caviare. 

Pliny  speaks  of  the  sturgeon  as  being  in  great 
repute  among  the  Greeks  and  Romans :  '  the 
cooked  fish  was  decked  with  garlands,  as  were 
the  slaves  who  carried  it  to  table ;'  and  altogether 
it  was  an  affair  of  great  pomp  and  ceremony,  when 
a  sturgeon  was  to  be  demolished. 


4 


t 


( 


IM 


THE   STURGEON. 


179 


t 

e 
le 

r 


t 


Sturgeon  arrive  in  the  Columbia  early  in  Feb- 
ruary, and  a  little  later  in  the  Fraser,  although 
a  great  number  above  the  Kettle  Falls,  at  Fort 
Colville,  must  remain  permanently  in  the  fresh- 
water. They  ascend  the  rivers  to  incredible 
distances,  in  the  Fraser  as  high  as  Fraser  Lake, 
quite  up  in  the  Rocky  Mountains.  In  the  Co- 
lumbia sturgeon  have  been  taken  eight  hundred 
miles  above  the  Kettle  Falls,  which  fire,  speaking 
roughly,  eighteen  hundred  miles  from  the  sea, 
and,  in  accomplishing  this,  several  very  serious 
obstacles  have  to  be  overcome.  Up  the  Snake 
river,  at  the  great  Shoshonee  Falls  (a  salmon- 
station  of  the  Snake  Indians),  sturgeon  are  often 
taken.  The  Snake  river,  tributary  to  the  Co- 
lumbia, is  about  "four  toon^  hundred  miles  from 
the  sea. 

One  would  never  imagine  a  fish  clad  in  stiff 
unyielding  armour  could  ascend  rapid  torrents 
and  leap  falls  that  puzzle  even  the  lissom  salmon ; 
but  the  strength  of  the  sturgeon  is  immense,  and 
the  power  it  can  exert  with  the  tail  would  be 
almost  incredible  to  those,  who  have  never  seen 
the  rapid  twists,  plunges,  and  other  performances 
this  fish  goes  through,  when  it  has  a  barbed 
hook  in  the  jaws,  or  a  spear  between  the  joints  of 
its  mail. 


M 


lyii 


e|/< 


K  2 


180 


THE   STURGEON. 


The  first  glance  at  a  sturgeon  would  lead 
any  one  accustomed  to  fish,  to  decide  at  once 
that  it  must  be  a  ground-feeder :  the  form  and 
position  of  the  m^  ith,  the  lengthened  snout, 
the  barbels,  the  "ventral  fins  so  far  back,  the 
large  size  of  the  pectorals  —  as  I  have  already 
stated — all  clearly  evidence  a  habit  of  grubbing- 
up  food  of  various  kinds  near  the  bottom,  and 
browsing  off  shelled  molluscs  adhering  to  sticks 
or  stones.  They  also  indulge  in  small  fish: 
eulachon  are  oily  dainties  they  seem  particularly 
to  appreciate;  and  the  Indians  say  sturgeon  are 
never  so  fat  and  good  as  in  'eulachon  time.' 
Small  blame  to  the  sturgeon  for  appreciating 
such  delicious  fish. 

During  the  time  the  Fraser  and  Columbia 
rivers  are  rising, — and  the  rise  is  very  rapid, 
about  thirty  feet  above  the  winter  level,  owing  to 
the  melting  snow, — sturgeon  are  continually  leap- 
ing. As  you  are  paddling  quietly  along  in  a  canoe, 
suddenly  one  of  these  monsters  flings  itself  into 
the  air  many  feet  above  the  surface  of  the  water, 
falling  back  again  with  a  splash,  as  though  a 
huge  rock  had  been  pitched  into  the  river  by  some 
Titan  hand.  It  appears  to  be  only  play,  as  they 
never  leap  for  insect-food;  neither  have  I  ever 
observed  them  do  it  during  low- water;  perhaps 


THE   STURGEON 


181 


to 


3r, 


■f 


; 


the  intense  cold  of  the  snow-water  begets  a  desire 
for  exercise. 

The  systems  of  catching  sturgeon  in  use 
amongst  the  Indians  of  the  Fraser  and  Columbia 
rivers  are  widely  different,  as  indeed  are  all 
their  modes  of  taking  fish.  This  mainly  arises 
from  the  fact  of  the  Columbia  river  having  nu- 
merous deep  falls,  that  impede  the  ascent  of  all 
fish  going  up  to  spawn.  These  falls,  as  I  have 
said,  are  quite  impassable  for  even  the  salmon 
until  the  snow-water  floods  the  river.  The 
Fraser,  on  the  other  hand,  ofi^ers  no  hindrance 
at  all  until  after  Fort  Hope  is  passed,  and  the 
principal  Indian  fishing-stations  are  all  below 
this  point :  hence  it  is  that  on  the  Columbia,  the 
fish,  both  salmon  and  sturgeon,  are  speared, 
trapped  in  baskets  or  weirs,  and  the  sturgeon 
also  taken  with  hook  and  line ;  whereas,  on  the 
Fraser,  salmon  are  principally  taken  in  nets,  and 
sturgeon  speared. 

I  shall  first  describe  the  mode  adopted  by  the 
Indians  of  the  Columbia  to  catch  sturgeon  with 
hook  and  line.  The  best  months  for  fishing 
are  February  and  March,  and  the  time  of  day 
either  early  in  the  morning,  or  late  in  the  evening. 
The  Dalles  is  a  favourite  fishing-station. 

The  first  thing  is  to  prepare  the  bait.    The  old 


182 


THE   STURGEON. 


? 


wooden  fish-hook  is  now  amongst  the  things  that 
vwre,  its  place  having  been  supplied  by  its 
civilised  Birmingham  brother,  bartered  by  the 
Indians  from  the  Hudson's  Bay  Company.  The 
fishing  line  is  either  made  of  native  hemp,  or  the 
inside  bark  of  the  cypress-tree  spun  into  cord. 
The  bait  is  a  long  strip  cut  from  the  under- 
side of  a  trout,  at  one  end  of  which  the  point  of 
the  hook  is  inserted ;  the  strip  being  then  wound 
tightly  and  evenly  round  the  hook,  and  up  the 
line  about  three  inches,  the  silvery  side  outer- 
most. It  is  then  firmly  whipped  over  with 
white  horsehair,  a  pebble  slung  on  as  a  sinker, 
and  the  deception  is  complete.  Five  or  six  long 
barbed  spears  are  stowed  away  in  the  canoe,  the 
line  coiled  carefuUv  in  the  bow,  and  the  baited 
hook  laid  on  it.  Two  wily  redskins  man  this 
fmil  bark,  the  paddler  squatting  on  his  heels 
in  the  stern,  the  line-man  standing  in  the  bow. 

A  few  skilful  turns  of  the  paddle  sends  the 
canoe  to  the  mudbank  on  which  King  Stur- 
geon is  dozing,  and  awaiting  his  matin  or  ves- 
per meal.  The  dainty-looking  morsel,  bearing 
all  the  external  semblance  to  a  fish  (but,  like 
the  Trojan  horse,  pregnant  with  mischief),  sinks 
noiselessly  and  slowly  to  the  bottom ;  the  canoe 
drifts  with  the  current,  and  in  this  manner  the 


i\ 


STURGEON-SPEARING. 


183 


bait  is  towed  along  ;  it  nears  the  sturgeon's  nose, 
and,  being  far  too  tempting  to  be  refused,  the 
great  pendulous  lips  close  upon  it ;  but  ere  it 
reaches  the  gullet,  a  sharp  twitch  of  the  line 
buries  the  hook  in  the  tenacious  gristle.  At  once 
discovering  he  has  been  miserably  done,  anger 
and  obstinate  resistance  are  in  the  ascendant ; 
so  he  comes  to  the  surface  with  a  rush  and  a 
splash. 

The  paddler  now  exerts  all  his  skill  to  keep 
a  slack  line,  for  the  hooked  fish  would  otherwise 
inevitably  upset  the  canoe;  the  bowman,  with 
the  line  in  one  hand  and  a  spear  poised  in  the 
other,  quietly  bides  his  time ;  then  he  hurls  the 
spear  into  the  sturgeon's  armour-clad  back ;  down 
darts  the  fish,  but  soon  returns  to  the  surface, 
when  in  goes  another  spear,  and  so  on  again  and 
again,  until,  towed  ashore,  it  is  dragged  out  of 
the  water  with  a  powerful  gafi^hook.  Large 
numbers  besides  such  as  are  thus  speared  are 
netted  in  passing  through  the  narrow  rock- 
channels. 

On  the  Fraser  river  sturgeon-spearing  is  the 
most  exciting  sport  imaginable.  Hooking,  play- 
ing, and  landing  a  noble  salmon  is  an  achieve- 
ment every  fisherman  is  truly  proud  of;  but  I 
unhesitatingly  assert  that  to  spear  and  land  a 


ill  t 


i\ 


184 


STURGEON-SPEARING. 


sturgeon  five  or  six  hundred  pounds  in  weight, 
with  only  a  frail  cunoe,  which  the  slightest  in- 
equality of  balance  will  upset  in  an  instant, 
requires  a  degree  of  skill,  courage,  and  dexterity 
that  only  a  lifetime's  practice  can  bestow. 

I  have  already  said  the  Fraser  has  no  falls 
below  Fort  Hope,  but  a  great  many  stiff  rapids ; 
below  these  rapids  it  widens  out  into  long  slowly- 
running  shallows,  generally  speaking  having  large 
sand  and  gravel-banks— 6ar5,  as  the  miners  call 
them,  and  on  these  bars  the  Indians  live  during 
•the  fishing-season.  The  time  for  fishing  being 
generally  soon  after  sunrise,  four  canoes,  each 
manned  by  two  Indians,  usually  start  for  stur- 
geon-capture;  the  paddler,  who  squats  in  the 
stern,  looks  in  the  direction  in  which  the  canoe  is 
to  go,  not,  as  we  sit  in  rowing,  with  our  backs  to 
the  bow,  but  facing  it ;  he  is  always  chosen  for 
his  greater  strength,  tact,  and  dexterity  with  the 
paddle,  for  on  his  skill  depends  in  a  great  degree 
the  safety  and  success  of  the  speai'man. 

The  spearman  stands  in  the  bow,  armed  with 
a  most  formidable  spear  —  the  handle,*  from 
seventy  to  eighty  feet  long,  is  made  of  white  pine 
wood ;  fitted  on  the  spear-haft  is  a  barbed  point, 
in  shape  very  much  like  a  shuttlecock,  supposing 

•  Ftefe  Illustration. 


"■-  -■■"•*S'' 


\l 


It 


h 


f  I 


STURGEON-SPEARING. 


185 


■< 

X 


X 


2 


a. 

o 
cs 

P 


each  feather  represented  by  a  piece  of  bone,  thickly- 
barbed,  and  very  sharp  at  the  end.  This  is  so 
contrived  that  it  can  be  easily  detached  from  the 
long  handle  by  a  sharp  dexterous  jerk.  To  this 
barbed  contrivance  a  long  line  is  made  fast, 
which  is  carefully  coiled  away  close  to  the  spear- 
man, like  a  harpoon-line  in  a  whale-boat. 

The  four  canoes,  alike  equipped,  are  paddled 
into  the  centre  of  the  stream,  and  side  by  side 
drift  slowly  down  with  the  current,  each  spear- 
man carefully  feeling  along  the  bottom  with  his 
spear,  constant  practice  having  taught  the  crafty 
savages  to  know  a  sturgeon's  back  when  the 
spear  comes  in  contact  with  it.  The  spear-head 
touches  the  drowsy  fish — a  sharp  plunge,  and 
the  redskin  sends  the  notched  points,  through 
armour  and  cartilage,  deep  into  the  leather-like 
muscles.  A  skilful  jerk  frees  the  long  handle 
from  the  barbed  end,  which  remains  inextricably 
fixed  in  the  fish;  the  handle  is  thrown  aside, 
the  line  seized,  and  the  struggle  begins. 

The  first  impulse  is  to  resist  this  objectionable 
intrusion,  so  the  angry  sturgeon  comes  up  to  see 
what  it  all  means  :  this  curiosity  is  generally 
repaid  by  having  a  second  spear  sent  crashing 
into  him.  He  then  takes  a  header,  seeking 
safety  in  flight,  and  the  real  excitement  com- 


186 


STURGEON-SPEARING. 


I 


mences.  With  might  and  main  the  bowman 
plies  the  paddles,  and  the  spearman  pays 
out  line,  the  canoe  flying  through  the  water. 
The  slightest  tangle,  the  least  hitch,  and  over  it 
goes;  it  becomes,  in  fact,  a  sheer  trial  of  paddle 
versus  fin.  Twist  and  turn  as  the  sturgeon  may, 
all  the  canoes  are  with  him :  he  flings  himself  out 
of  the  water,  dashes  through  it,  under  it,  and 
skims  along  the  surface;  but  all  is  vain — the 
canoes  and  their  dusky  oarsmen  follow  all  his 
efibrts  to  escape  as  a  cat  follows  a  mouse. 

Gradually  the  sturgeon  grows  sulky  and  tired, 
obstinately  floating  on  the  surface.  The  Scivage 
knows  he  is  not  vanquished,  but  only  biding  a 
chance  for  revenge ;  so  he  shortens  up  the  line, 
and  gathers  quietly  on  upon  him,  to  get  another 
spear  in.  It  is  done — and  down  viciously  dives 
the  sturgeon  ;  but  pain  and  weariness  begin  to 
tell,  the  struggles  grow  weaker  and  weaker,  as 
life  ebbs  slowly  away,  until  the  mighty  armour- 
plated  monarch  of  the  river  yields  himself  a 
captive  to  the  dusky  native  in  his  frail  canoe. 

The  Clam. — Amongst  the  edible  shellfish 
found  on  the  coasts  of  Vancouver  Island  and 
British  Columbia,  the  Great  Clam,  as  it  is  there 
styled  (Lutraria  maxima)^  or  the  Otter-shell  of 
conchologists,  is  by  far  the  most  valuable.    Clams 


I. 


! 


THE   CLAM. 


1D7 


h 


are  one  of  the  staple  articles  of  winter  food  on 
which  all  Indian  tribes  in  a  great  measure  de- 
pend who  inhabit  the  north-west  coast  of  America. 
The  clam  to  the  Indians  is  a  sort  of  molluscous 
cereal,  that  they  gather  and  garner  during  the 
summer  months;  and  an  outline  sketch  of  this 
giant  bivalve's  habits  and  style  of  living,  how 
captured,  and  what  becomes  of  it  after  being 
made  a  prisoner,  may  be  interesting ;  its  habits, 
and  the  uses  to  which,  if  not  designed,  it  is  at 
least  appropriated,  being  generally  less  known 
than  its  minute  anatomy.  Clams  attain  an  im- 
mense size ;  I  have  measured  shells  eight  inches 
from  the  hinge  to  the  edge  of  the  valve.  We 
used  them  as  soap-dishes  at  our  head-quarters 
on  Vancouver  Island . 

The  clam  has  a  very  wide  range,  and  is  thickly 
distributed  along  the  mainland  and  Vancouver 
Island  coasts ;  his  favourite  haunts  are  the  great 
sandbanks,  that  run  out  sometimes  over  a  mile 
fi-om  the  shore.  The  rise  and  fall  of  the  tide 
is  from  thirty  to  forty  feet,  so  that  at  low-water 
immense  flats  or  beaches,  consisting  of  mud  and 
sand,  are  laid  bare. 

There  is  nothing  poetical  about  the  clam,  and 
its  habits  are  anything  but  clean ;  grovelling  in 
the  mud,  and  feeding  on  the  veriest  filth  it  can 


188 


THE   CLAM. 


find,  appears  to  constitute  the  great  pleasure  of 
its  life ;  the  stomach  is  a  kind  of  dusthole,  into 
which  anything  and  everything  finds  ready  ad- 
mission. Its  powers  of  digestion  must  be  some- 
thing wonderful ;  I  believe  clams  could  sup  on 
copper  tacks,  and  not  suffer  from  nightmare. 
Spending  the  greater  part  of  its  time  buried  about 
two  feet  deep,  the  long  syphon,  reaching  to 
the  surface,  discovers  its  whereabouts,  as  the  eb- 
bing tide  leaves  the  mud,  by  continually  squirting 
up  small  jets  of  water,  about  six  or  eight  inches 
high.  The  sand  flats  dry,  out  marches  an  army 
of  squaws  (Indian  women),  as  it  is  derogatory 
to  the  dignity  of  a  man  to  dig  clams.  With 
only  a  small  bit  of  skin  or  cedar-mat  tied  round 
the  waist,  the  women  tramp  through  the  mud, 
a  basket  made  from  cedar-root  in  one  hand,  and 
in  the  other  a  bent  stick  about  four  feet  long. 

Thus  armed,  they  begin  to  dig  up  the  mud- 
homes  of  the  unsuspecting  clam :  guided  by  the 
jets  of  water,  they  push  down  the  bent  stick, 
and  experience  has  taught  them  to  make  sure 
of  getting  it  well  under  the  shell:  placing  a 
stone  behind  the  stick,  against  which  the  squaw 
fixes  her  foot  firmly,  she  lifts  away:  the  clam 
comes  from  darkness  into  daylight  ere  he  knows 
it,  and   thence  into  the  Indian's  basket.     The 


THE   CLAM. 


189 


basket  filled,  the  clam-pickers  trudge  back  again 
to  the  lodge — and  next  to  open  him.  He  is  not 
a  native  to  be  astonished  with  an  oyster-knife ; 
once  having  shut  his  mouth,  no  force,  saving  that 
of  dashing  his  shell  into  atoms,  will  induce  him  to 
open  it.  But  the  wily  redskin,  if  she  does  not 
know  the  old  fable  of  the  wind  and  the  sun  trying 
their  respective  powers  on  the  traveller,  tit  least 
adopts  the  same  principle  on  the  luckless  clam  ; 
what  knife  and  lever  fail  to  do  a  genial  warmth 
accomplishes.  The  same  plan  the  sun  adopted 
to  make  the  traveller  take  off  his  coat  (more 
persuasive,  perhaps,  than  pleasant)  the  Indian 
squaw  has  recourse  to  in  order  to  make  the 
clam  open  his  shell. 

Hollowing  out  a  ring  in  the  ground,  about 
eight  inches  deep,  they  fill  the  circle  with  large 
pebbles,  made  red-hot  in  the  camp-fire  near 
by,  and  on  these  heated  stones  put  the  bivalve 
martyr.  The  heat  soon  finds  its  way  through 
the  shelly  armour,  the  powerful  ropes  that  hold 
the  doors  together  slacken,  and,  as  his  mansion 
gradually  grows  'too  hot  to  hold  him,'  the  door 
opens  a  little  for  a  taste  of  fresh  air.  Biding 
her  chance,  armed  with  a  long,  smooth,  sharp- 
pointed  stick,  sits  the  squaw — dusky,  grim,  and 
dirty — anxiously  watching  the  clam's  movements. 


)  I 


100 


THE   CLAM. 


I 


The  stronghold  opens,  and  the  clam  drinks  draught 
after  draught  of  the  cool  life-giving  air;  then  down 
upon  him  the  savage  pounces,  and  astonishes  his 
heated  and  fevered  imagination  by  thrusting,  with 
all  her  force,  the  long  sharp  stick  into  the  un- 
guarded house :  crash  it  goes  through  the  quiver- 
ing tissues ;  his  chance  is  over  !  Jerked  off  the 
heated  stones,  pitilessly  his  house  is  forced  open ; 
ropes,  hinges,  fastenings  crack  like  packthread, 
and  the  mollusc  is  ruthlessly  dragged  from  his 
shelly  home,  naked  and  lifeless. 

Having  got  the  clam  out,  the  next  thing 
is  to  preserve  it  for  winter:  this  is  effectually 
accomplished  by  stringing-up  and  smoking.  A 
long  wooden  needle,  with  an  eye  at  the  end,  is 
threaded  with  cord  made  from  native  hemp; 
and  on  this  the  clams  are  strung  like  dried 
apples,  and  thoroughly  smoked,  in  the  interior  of 
the  lodge.  A  more  effectual  smoking-house  could 
hardly  be  found.  I  can  imagine  nothing  in  the 
*  wide,  wide  world  *  half  as  filthy,  loathsome,  and 
disgusting  as  the  interior  of  an  Indian  house. 
Every  group  has  some  eatable — fish,  mollusc, 
bird,  or  animal — and  what  the  men  and  squaws 
do  not  consume,  is  pitched  to  the  dusky  little 
savages,  that,  naked  and  dirty,  are  thick  as  ants 
in  a  hill ;  from  these  the  residue  descends  to  the 


THE   CLAM. 


191 


dogs,  and  what  they  leave  some  lower  form  of 
animal  life  manages  to  consume.  Nothing  eat- 
able that  is  once  brought  in  is  ever  by  any 
chance  swept,  or  carried,  out  again,  and  either 
becomes  some  other  foma  of  life,  or,  decompos- 
ing, assumes  its  elemental  condition. 

An  old  settler  once  told  me  a  story,  as  we 
were  hunting  together,  and  I  think  I  can  vouch 
for  the  truth  of  what  he  related,  of  having 
seen  a  duck  trapped  by  a  clam : — '  You  see,  sir, 
as  I  was  a-cruising  down  these  flats  about 
sun-up,  the  tide  jist  at  the  nip,  as  it  is  now,  I 
see  a  whole  pile  of  shoveller  ducks  snabbling  in 
the  mud,  and  busy  as  dogfish  in  herring-time ; 
so  I  creeps  down,  and  slap  I  lets  'em  have  it : 
six  on  'em  turned  over,  and  off  went  the  pack 
gallows-scared,  and  quacking  like  mad.  Down 
I  runs  to  pick  up  the  dead  uns,  when  I  see  an 
old  mallard  a-playing  up  all  kinds  o'  antics, 
jumping,  backing,  flapping,  but  fast  by  the  head, 
as  if  he  had  his  nose  in  a  steel  trap ;  and  when  I 
comes  up  to  him,  blest  if  a  large  clam  hadn't 
hold  of  him,  hard  and  fast,  by  the  beak.  The 
old  mallard  might  a'  tried  his  damdest,  but  may 
I  never  bait  a  martin-trap  again  if  that  clam 
wouldn't  a'  held  him  agin  any  odds  'til  the  tide 
run  in,  and  then  he'd  a'  been  a  gone  shoveller 


IM 


MANSUCKERS. 


sure  as  shooting ;  so  I  cracked  up  the  clam 
with  the  butt  of  my  old  gun,  and  bagged  the 
mallard.' 

Any  one  who  has  travelled  in  America  must 
have  eaten  clam-chowder,  or,  more  probably  per- 
haps, tried  to  eat  it.  It  is  a  sort  of  intermediate 
affair  between  stew-proper  and  soup.  How  it 
is  made  I  do  not  know,  but  I  do  know  that  to 
my  palate  it  is  the  vilest  concoction  I  ever  tasted  ; 
and  I  always  look  upon  a  man  who  can  eat  clam- 
chowder  with  a  kind  of  admiration  almost  akin 
to  envy ;  for  I  feel  and  know  that  if  he  can  eat 
chowder,  short  of  cannibalism  he  can  eat  any- 
thing. I  have  tried  smoked  clam,  but  that  I 
cannot  say  I  enjoy ;  it  is  remarkably  like  chew- 
ing good  old  tarry  ropeyam,  and,  save  the 
slight  difference  in  nutritive  power,  about  an 
equally  agreeable  repast. 

If  any  of  my  readers  should  be  curious  to  see 
the  shells  of  these  monster  clams,  they  will  find 
many  I  have  recently  brought  home  in  the  Shell 
Koora  of  the  British  Museum. 

Mansuckers. — The  three  kinds  of  cuttlefish 
best  known  in  British  seas  are,  first,  the  sepia, 
the  creature  whose  backbone  is  the  *  cuttlefish ' 
of  the  apothecaries*  shops  ;  second,  the  *  loligo,' 
or  '  Qalamary,'  that  has  a  beautiful  penlike  bone, 


Eli' 

k 


THE  OCTOPUS. 


199 


and,  from  the  presence  of  a  bag  containin<T  a 
black  fluid,  is  sometimes  called  the  *  pen-and-ink ' 
fish ;  and  third,  the  '  octopus.' 

The  octopus  as  seen  on  our  coasts,  although 
even  here  called  a  *  mansucker '  by  the  fisher- 
men, is  a  mere  Tom  Thumb,  a  tiny  dwarf,  as 
compared  to  the  Brobdignogian  proportions  he 
attains  in  the  snug  bays  and  long  inhnid  canals 
along  the  east  side  of  Vancouver  Island,  as 
well  as  on  the  mainland.  These  places  afford 
lurking -dens,  strongholds,  and  natural  sea- 
nurseries,  where  the  octopus  grows  to  an 
enormous  size,  fattens,  and  wages  war,  with 
insatiable  voracity,  on  all  and  everything  it 
can  catch.  Safe  from  heavy  breakers,  it  lives 
as  in  an  aquarium  of  smooth  lake-like  water, 
that,  save  in  the  ebbing  and  flowing  of  the 
tide,  knows  no  change  or  disturbance. 

The  ordinary  resting-place  of  this  hideous 
*  sea-beast*  is  under  a  large  stone,  or  in  the  wide 
cleft  of  a  rock,  where  an  octopus  can  creep  and 
squeeze  itself  with  the  flatness  of  a  sand-dab,  or 
the  slipperiness  of  an  eel.  Its  modes  of  loco- 
motion are  curious  and  varied :  using  the  eight 
arms  as  paddles,  and  working  them  alternately, 
the  central  disc  representing  a  boat,  octopi  row 
themselves    along  with    an   ease   and   celerity 

VOL.  I.  *      0 


Wf'Tf!^  «  "I      ; '  7"»)(i'"flf»«"ip>«p»i" 


194 


THE   OCTOPUS. 


hi, 


\     ■ 


comparable  to  the  many-oared  caique  that  glides 
over  the  tranquil  waters  of  the  Bosporus ;  they 
can  ramble  at  will  over  the  sandy  roadways  in- 
tersecting their  submarine  parks,  and,  converting 
arms  into  legs,  march  on  like  a  huge  spider. 
Gymnasts  of  the  highest  order,  they  climb  the 
slippery  ledges,  as  flies  walk  up  a  window- 
pane  ;  attaching  the  countless  suckers  that  arm 
the  terrible  limbs  to  the  face  of  the  rocks,  or 
to  the  wrack  and  seaweed,  they  go  about,  back 
downward,  like  marine  sloths,  or,  clinging  with 
one  arm  to  the  waving  alga3,  perform  iSeries  of 
trapeze  movements  that  Le6tard  might  view 
with  envy. 

The  size,  of  course,  varies.  I  have  seen  and 
measured  the  arm  five  feet  long,  and  as  large  at 
the  base  where  it  joins  the  central  disc  as  my 
wrist ;  and  were  an  octopus  by  any  chance  to 
wind  its  sucker-dotted  cable-arms  round  a  luck- 
less bather,  fatal  would  be  the  embrace,  and 
horrible  to  imagine,  being  dragged  down  and 
drowned  by  this  eight-armed  monster;  a  worse 
death  than  being  crushed  by  coiling  serpents  like 
ill-fated  Laocoon. 

I  have  often  when  on  the  rocks,  in  Esquimalt 
Harbour,  watched  my  friend's  proceedings;  the 
water  being  clear  and  still,  it  is  just  like  peering 


THE   OCTOPUS. 


195 


into  an  aquarium  of  huge  proportions,  crowded 
with  endless  varieties  of  curious  sea-monsters; 
although  grotesque  and  ugly  to  look  at,  yet  all 
alike  displaying  the  wondrous  works  of  Creative 
wisdom.  In  all  the  cosy  little  nooks  and  corners 
of  the  harbour  the  great  seawrack  {Macrocystis) 
grows  wildly,  ha^'ing  a  straight  round  stem  that 
comes  up  from  the  bottom,  often  with  a  stalk 
^l/ifl.  -thrcftjiundred  feet  long;  reaching  the  surface, 
it  spreads  out  two  long  tapering  leaves  that  float 
upon  the  water :  this  sea-forest  is  the  favourite 
hunting-ground  of  octopi. 

1  do  not  think,  in  its  native  element,  an 
octopus  often  catches  prey  on  the  gi'ound  or  on 
the  rocks,  but  waits  for  them  just  as  the  spider 
does,  only  the  octopus  converts  itself  into  a  web, 
and  a  fearful  web  too.  Fastening  one  arm  to 
a  stout  stalk,  stiffening  out  the  other  seven, 
one  would  hardly  know  it  from  the  wrack 
amongst  which  it  is  concealed.  Patiently  he 
bides  his  time,  until  presently  a  shoal  of  fish 
come  gaily  on,  threading  their  way  through  the 
sea-trees,  joyously  happy,  and  little  dreaming 
that  this  lurking  monster,  so  artfully  concealed, 
is  close  at  hand.  Two  or  three  of  them  rub 
against  the  arms:  fatal  touch!  As  though  a 
powerful  electric  shock  had  passed  through  the 

o  2 


V   il 


I     I 


r(: 


ii       .   ! 


196 


THE  OCTOPUS. 


fish,  and  suddenly  knocked  it  senseless,  so  does 
the  arm  of  the  octopus  paralyse  its  victim ;  then, 
winding  a  great  sucker-clad  cable  round  the 
palsied  fish — as  an  elephant  winds  its  trunk 
round  anything  to  be  conveyed  to  the  mouth — 
draws  the  dainty  morsel  to  the  centre  of  the 
disc,  where  the  beaked  mouth  seizes,  and  soon 
sucks  it  in. 

I  am  perfectly  sure,  from  frequent  observa- 
tion, the  octopus  has  the  power  of  numbing  it« 
prey ;  and  the  sucking-discs  along  each  ray  are 
more  for  the  purposes  of  climbing  and  holding- 
on  whilst  fishing,  than  for  capturing  and  detain- 
ing slippery  prisoners.  The  suckers  are  very 
large,  and  arranged  in  triple  rows  along  the 
under-surface  of  the  ray,  decreasing  in  size  to- 
wards the  point,  and  possessing  wonderful  powers 
of  adhesion. 

As  illustrating  the  size  of  these  suckers,  I  may 
as  well  confess  to  a  blunder  I  once  made.  It  was 
an  extremely  low  tide,  and  I  was  far  out  on  the 
rocks  at  Esquimalt  Harbour,  hunting  the  pools, 
when  I  saw  what  I  fancied  a  huge  actinia,  as 
big  as  an  eggcup,  its  tentacles  hauled  in,  and, 
having  detached  its  disc  from  the  rocks,  was 
waiting  for  the  tide:  placing  the  fancied  prize 
safely  in  my  collecting-box,   to  my  disgust,  on 


THE   OCTOPUS. 


197 


examining  my  new  species,  it  turned  out  to  be 
only  the  sucking-disc  oi  an  octopus. 

Tyrants  though  they  be,  an  enemy  hunts  them 
with  untiring  pertinacity.  The  Indian  looks 
upon  the  octopus  as  an  alderman  does  on  turtle, 
and  devours  it  with  equal  gusto  and  relish,  only 
the  savage  roasts  the  glutinous  carcase  instead 
of  boiling  it.  His  mode  of  catching  octopi  is 
crafty  in  the  extreme,  for  redskin  well  knows, 
from  past  experience,  that  were  the  octopus  once 
to  get  some  of  its  huge  arais  over  the  side  of 
the  canoe,  and  at  the  same  time  a  holdfast  on  the 
wrack,  it  could  as  easily  haul  it  over  as  a  child 
could  upset  a  basket ;  but  he  takies  care  not  to  give 
a  chance,  and  thus  the  Indian  secures  his  prize. 

Paddling  the  canoe  close  to  the  rocks,  and 
quietly  pushing  aside  the  wrack,  the  savage  peers 
through  the  crystal  water,  until  his  practised 
eye  detects  an  octopus,  with  its  great  ropelike 
arms  stiffened  out,  waiting  patiently  for  food. 
His  spear  is  twelve  feet  long,  armed  at  the  end 
with  four  pieces  of  hard  wood,  made  harder  by 
being  baked  and  chaiTed  in  the  fire :  these  project 
about  fourteen  inches  beyond  the  spear-haft,  each 
piece  having  a  barb  on  one  side,  and  are  arranged 
in  a  circle  round  the  spear-end,  and  lashed  firmly 
on  with    cedar-bark.      Having   spied    out    ihe 


li>8 


THE   OCTOPUS. 


:  t 


octopus,  the  hunter  passes  the  spear  carefully 
through  the  water  until  within  an  inch  or  so  of 
the  centre  disc,  and  then  sends  it  in  as  deep  as  he 
can  plunge  it.  Writhing  with  pain  and  passion, 
the  octopus  coils  its  terrible  arms  round  the  haft ; 
redskin,  making  the  side  of  the  canoe  a  fulcrum 
for  his  spear,  keeps  the  struggling  monster 
well  off,  and  raises  it  to  the  surface  of  the  water. 
He  is  dangerous  now;  if  he  could  get  a  hold- 
fast on  either  savage  or  canoe,  nothing  short 
of  chopping  off  the  arms  piecemeal  would  be  of 
any  avail. 

But  the  wily  redskin  knows  all  this,  and  has 
taken  care  to  have  ready  another  spear  un- 
barbed,  long,  straight,  smooth,  and  very  sharp, 
and  with  this  he  stabs  the  octopus  where  the 
arms  join  the  central  disc.  I  suppose  the  spear 
must  break  down  the  nervous  ganglions  supply- 
ing motive  power,  as  the  stabbed  arms  lose  at 
once  strength  and  tenacity;  the  suckers,  that 
a  moment  before  held  on  with  a  force  ten  men 
could  not  have  overcome,  relax,  and  the  entire 
ray  hangs  like  a  dead  snake,  a  limp,  lifeless 
mass.  And  thus  the  Indian  stabs  and  stabs, 
until  the  octopus,  deprived  of  all  power  to  do 
harm,  is  dragged  into  the  canoe,  a  great,  inert, 
quivering  lump  of  brown-looking  jelly. 


MULE-HUNTING  EXPEDITION. 


199 


CHAPTER  VIII. 


MULE-HUNTING  EXPEDITION  FROM  VANCOUVER  ISLAND  TO  SAN 
FRANCISCO — THE  ALMADEN  QUICKSILVER  MINES — POISON-OAK  AND 
ITS  ANTIDOTE. 


The  Commission,  in  18 GO,  were  to  commence 
the  work  of  marking  the  boundary-line  on  the 
eastern  side  of  the  Cascades.  A  large  addition 
to  our  staff  of  pack-mules  being  indispensable, 
I  was  despatched  to  San  Francisco  to  purchase 
them;  and  instructed  to  rejoin  the  Commission, 
as  soon  as  practicable,  at  the  Dalles,  already 
mentioned  as  a  small  town  on  the  upper  part  of 
the  Columbia  river. 

I  introduce  the  journal  of  my  mule-hunting 
adventures  at  this  part  of  the  volume,  as  it 
enables  me  to  explain  the  systems  of  transport 
and  travelling  resorted  to  in  wild  countries, 
where  roads  and  railways  are  unknown.  I  tran- 
scribe my  journal,  the  events  of  each  day  as 
hastily  recorded : — 

Feh.  2dth,  I860.— Left  Esquimalt  Hai-bour  in 


Mi 


i    ' 


200 


MULE-HUNTING   EXPEDITION. 


the  steamer  *  Panama,' — my  destination  San 
Francisco, — my  mission  to  purchase  mules.  The 
island  is  still  in  its  winter  garb ;  not  a  bud  has 
burst  into  leaf,  and  very  few  migratory  birds 
have  made  their  appearance.  At  10.30  a.m.  we 
are  steaming  out  of  the  harbour ;  no  wind,  water 
smooth  as  a  lake ;  run  pleasantly  down  the  Straits 
of  Juan  de  Fuca,  and  pass  Cape  Flatteiy  about 
4  p.m.  Wind  blowing  unpleasantly  fresh,  and  a 
heavy  tumbling  swell  makes  the  *  Panama*  dis- 
agreeably lively.  Passengers  rapidly  disappear ; 
various  gulping  sounds,  heavy  sighs,  and  im- 
patient calls  for  the  steward,  tell  clearly  enough 
that  the  most  terrible  leveller  next  to  death,  sea- 
sickness, has  begun  its  work  below. 

March  1st. — A  bleak  misty  morning,  a  heavy 
sea,  wind  dead  ahead,  and  cold  driving  hail- 
showers.  The  ship,  rolling  from  side  to  side, 
renders  it  difficult  for  even  practised  hands  to 
guide  anything  spillable  to  the  mouth ;  and  walk- 
ing, save  to  a  sailor  or  a  housefly,  is  an  impos- 
sible performance. 

March  2nd, — Managed  to  scramble  on  deck 
about  7  a.m.,  by  going  through  a  series  of  acro- 
batic performances,  that  came  near  to  dislocating 
all  my  joints;  wind  moderated,  but  a  heavy  sea 
still  rocked  us  -.(^y  rudei}.     We  are  close  in- 


VOYAGE  TO  SAN  FRANCISCO. 


201 


shore,  passing  Cape  Blanco,  350  miles  below  Cape 
Flattery.  Port  Orford,  a  place  celebrated  for 
its  cedar,  is  just  visible  through  the  haze;  the 
rounded  hills  behind  it  are  quite  white  with 
snow.  Kept  close  inshore  all  day,  but  the  weather 
is  too  cold,  and  sea  too  rough,  for  one  to  enjoy 
the  scenery. 

March  Srd. — Scrambled  on  deck  again  about 
7  a.m. ;  "wind  still  ahead,  but  altogether  a  better 
morning  than  yesterday.  Had  a  good  look  at 
Cape  Mendozena,  a  bold  rocky  headland,  to  the 
south  of  which  is  Mendozena  city,  consisting  of 
a  few  houses  and  a  groggery.  The  coast-line 
is  exceedingly  picturesque  and  pretty:  between 
this  headland  and  Point  Arena  a  series  of  un- 
dulating hills,  capped  with  massive  pine-trees; 
their  sides  and  grassy  slopes,  reaching  down  to 
the  sea-line,  remind  me  of  English  hay  fields ;  it 
seems  almost  like  enchantment,  the  change  in 
the  vegetation  three  days  only  from  Vancouver 
Island. 

March  4th. — At  sunrise  I  am  on  deck,  called 
by  the  captain,  to  get  a  peep  at  the  '  Golden 
Gate.'  There  is  just  enough  light  to  reveal  a 
stupendous  mass  of  bold  mountain  scenery,  rising 
apparently  from  the  sea,  and  towering  up  3,000  feet 
and  over,  until  lost  in  the  haze  of  the  morning. 


mmm 


9oa 


MULE- HUNTING   EXPEDITION. 


Under  the  shadow  of  these  hills  we  are  puffing 
towards  an  opening,  as  if  cut  purposely  through 
a  solid  wall  of  rock.  On  the  right  stands  an 
immense  fortress,  built  of  red  brick.  Alcatraz 
Island,  right  ahead,  is  dimly  visible,  like  a  grey 
spot  in  the  line  of  water.  The  ripple,  touched 
by  the  sunbeams  that  are  slanting  into  the  bay, 
seems  converted  into  revolving  cylinders  of  bril- 
liants. As  we  steam  through  this  magnificent 
portal,  the  finest  harbour  in  the  world  opens 
out  to  the  southward  and  westward.  On  the 
curving  shore  of  the  bay,  I  can  see  the  city  of 
San  Francisco,  built  on  the  slopes  of  three  hills ; 
to  the  left  the  island  of  Yerba  Buena ;  farther  to 
the  right  a  forest  of  masts,  from  which  flags 
representing  every  nation  flutter  in  the  breeze ; 
ahead  a  long  stretch  of  water,  as  far  as  eye  could 
follow  it — the  continuation  of  the  harbour. 

We  ran  alongside  an  immense  pier  at  6  a.m. 
I  am  mobbed  by  touters  from  eveiy  hotel  in 
San  Francisco,  and  have  hard  work  to  keep  my 
luggage  from  being  equally  divided  amongst 
them.  Passengers  appear,  for  the  first  time  since 
leaving  Vancouver  Island,  blanched  like  celery 
or  seakale.  By  dint  of  strong  arms  and  stronger 
language,  I  get  my  luggage  fastened  to  a  grating 
that  lets  down  by  machinery,  at  the  end  of  an 


*  UNION   CLUB*  AT  SAN  FRANCISCO. 


203 


omnibus  marked  'Oriental  Hotel.'  I  am  hustled 
into  the  'bus  with  three  pale  passengers,  and  we 
are  rapidly  whirkd  off  to  the  'Oriental.'  The 
mail-packet  from  Panama  has  also  just  arrived; 
all  the  beds  are  taken  at  the  hotel,  so  I  bide  my 
chance  of  some  one  leaving  before  night. 

Called  on  the  Consul,  and  through  his  kind- 
ness am  located  in  the  Union  Club  House,  a 
grand  improvement  on  the  '  Oriental.' 

March  5th. — Occupied  in  giving  my  letters 
of  introduction,  and  arranging  money-matters. 
The  club-house  in  which  I  am  staying  is  a  mas- 
sive granite  building.  The  granite,  beautifully 
faced  and  fitted,  was  all  hewn  in  China;  the  house 
was  put  together  there,  to  see  everything  was 
properly  finished,  then  taken  to  pieces,  packed, 
and  shipped  for  San  Francisco.  Chinese  builders 
came  with  it,  brought  their  own  scaffolding  (made 
entirely  from  bamboo),  put  it  together,  built  up 
the  granite  edifice  in  which  I  transcribe  this, 
as  handsome  a  structure  as  any  San  Francisco 
can  boast  of. 

March  Qth. — Having  nothing  particular  to  do, 
determine  to  visit  the  New  Alniaden  quicksilver 
mines.  There  are  two  routes  to  these  mines — 
one  per  stage  the  whole  distance  (56  miles),  the 
other  per  steamer  to  the  head  of  the  Bay  of  San 


f 


li 


i.  ) 

I  i 


204 


MULE-IIUNTING   EXPEDITION. 


Francisco,  and  thence  by  stage  to  San  Jos^. 
Past  experience  had  taught  me,  whenever  pos- 
sible, scrupulously  to  avoid  stage  travelling. 
Being  tossed  in  a  blanket,  or  rolled  down  a  steep 
hill  in  a  cask,  produce  much  the  same  bruised 
and  general  state  of  sprain  and  dislocation  as 
a  day's  ride  in  a  stage.  Choosing  the  steamer 
lessened  the  chance  of  jolting  by  quite  one-half, 
at  the  same  time  affording  a  good  opportunity 
of  seeing  the  famed  Bay  of  San  Francisco. 

I  embark  at  seven  from  a  wooden  pier — early 
as  it  is,  alive  with  the  hum,  buzz,  and  bustle  of 
the  awakening  city — and  steam  away  over  the 
un rippled  waters  of  the  bay.  The  temperature  is 
delicious ;  a  few  fleecy  clouds  are  swept  rapidly 
over  the  clear  blue  sky  by  a  light  breeze  blowing 
softly  1'  om  the  land,  laden  with  the  perfume  of 
wild  flowers  and  forest  trees.  A  run  of  a  few 
hours  brought  us  to  the  embarcadero,  or  landing, 
at  the  head  of  the  bay,  from  whence  a  stage 
bumped  me  over  the  road  about  four  miles,  to 
the  old  town  of  San  Jos^. 

Pueblo  San  Jose  stands  at  the  entrance  of  a 
lovely  valley.  The  town  consists  of  a  collection 
of  adobe  houses;  a  few  in  the  main  street  are 
built  of  wood,  painted  white,  with  brilliant  green 
jalousies  outside  the  windows.    The  older  houses 


cnv\cu  OF  SAN  joiii- 


205 


are  scattered  roUiifl  an  'pen  s^^ce,  ffie  plaza: 
trees  of  greenest  foliu|!^  in  dr  ole  rows,  shade 
one  from  the  burning  b-m,  and  eveiywhere  spa- 
cious orchards  and  flower-gardens  testify  to  the 
fertility  of  the  soil. 

Having  a  note  from  a  friend  in  San  Francisco 

to  the  host  of  * House,'  more  than  ordlnar}*^ 

civility  was  accorded  me,  and  by  some  superhu- 
man means  a  buggy  would  be  ready  in  about  two 
hours  to  take  me  to  the  mines.  Crossing  the 
Alameda,  a  grove  of  willows  and  oaks,  planted 
by  the  padres,  leads  to  the  old  crumbling  walls 
of  what  was  once  a  very  spacious  mission,  now 
rapidly  falling  to  decay.  The  interior  of  the  old 
church  is  decorated  with  rude  carvings,  paint- 
ings of  the  Crucifixion,  and  frescoed  figures  of 
saints  and  martyrs,  clad  in  garments  of  dazzling 
colours.  One  old  shaven  priest,  with  a  parti- 
cularly dirty  cassock,  and  a  face  so  begrimed 
with  layers  of  filth  as  to  be  mosquito-proof,  was 
the  only  ecclesiastic  visible.  Thousands  of  cliff 
swallows  (Hmmdo  lunifrons)  were  busy  build- 
ing their  bottle-shaped  mud  nests  under  the 
dilapidated  roof 

Discovered  little  worth  looking  at  in  the 
town.  Found  the  buggy  waiting :  my  coachman, 
a  regular  Yankee,  puffing  vigorously  at  an  im- 


80« 


MULE-JIfNTIKO  EXrEDITIOS. 


I 


III 


V.\ 


■» 


% 


mensc  cigar,  was  seated  in  readiness,  his  legs 
resting  on  the  splash-board.  Without  removing 
the  cigar  from  his  mouth,  he  drawled  out,  '  Say, 
Cap'en,  guess  you'd  better  hurry  up  if  you  mefln 
making  the  ranch  before  sundown.  Bet  yo.ir 
pants  this  child  ain't  agwine  that  road  in  the  dark 
nohow.*  *  What's  to  happen?'  I  mildly  enquired. 
*  Happen  !  Wal,  maybe  upset ;  maybe  chawed 
up  by  a  grisly ;  maybe  cleaned  slick  out  by  the 
greasers.  You'd  better  believe  a  man  has  to 
keep  his  eye  skinned  in  the  daytime ;  so  hurry 
up,  Cap.'  Without  further  parley  I  scrambled 
in,  and  away  we  went. 

Our  rotid  i  *y  over  broad  plains  and  through 
occasional  belts  of  timber;  deep,  gravelly  ar- 
royos,  in  and  out  of  which  we  dashed  with  a 
plunging  scramble,  marked  the  course  of  the 
floods.  Everything  was  steaming  hot ;  the  baked 
ground  reflected  back  the  scorching  sun-rays, 
until  the  atmosphere  quivered  as  one  sees  it  over 
a  limekiln ;  the  mustangs  in  a  fog  of  perspira- 
tion ;  the  Jehu,  denuded  of  coat  and  vest,  con- 
tinually yelled  '  A  git  along,'  with  a  rein  in  each 
hand,  steering  rather  than  driving,  was  red-hot  in 
body  and  temper.  But  this  was  nothing  to  my 
state  of  broil.  Exposed  to  a  temperature  that 
would  have  made  one  perspire  sitting  in  the 


VALLEY  OF  SANTA  CLARA. 


Wl 


shade ;  to  be  kept  in  a  state  of  bodily  fear  of 
instant  upset ;  to  undergo  a  continuous  exercise 
that  would  have  been  good  training  for  an  athlete, 
to  avoid  being  shot  out  of  the  buggy  like  a 
shell  from  a  mortar,  would  have  set  an  Ice- 
lander in  a  glow.  The  rapidity  with  which  we 
whirled  along,  and  the  eccentric  performances  of 
the  vehicle,  destroyed,  in  a  measure,  the  enjoy- 
ment of  a  scene  quite  new  to  me. 

We  rattled  through  the  splendid  valley  of  Santa 
Clara,  passing  here  and  there  a  fertile  ranch ;  on 
either  side,  the  wooded  slopes  looked  like  lawns 
of  Nature's  own  contriving  ;  far  on  my  left,  the 
bay  glimmered  like  a  line  of  silver  light,  the 
ground  carpeted  with  flowers,  brilliant  escholt- 
zia  and  blue  nemophila  were  most  conspicuous 
amidst  a  natural  harvest  of  wild  oats  and  grass  ; 
and  on  all  sides,  from  amongst  the  clumps  of 
buck-eye  and  oak,  the  cheery  whistle  and  chirp 
of  birds  rang  pleasantly  on  the  ear. 

Reaching  the  *  Halfway  House '  (as  a  small 
wooden  building  is  named,  midway  betwixt  San 
Jose  and  the  mine),  we  stopped  to  water  the  mus- 
tangs and  refresh  the  inward  man  —  a  respite 
most  acceptable.  A  '  tall  drink '  worked  wonders 
on  my  hitherto  taciturn  coachman,  who,  as  we 
jogged  along  the  remaining  half  the  journey, 


,    r 


208 


MULE-HUNTING   EXPEDITION. 


i 


t 


ii* 


n  I 


related  such  wonderful  stories,  that  it  seemed 
to  me  we  had  hardly  left  the  '  Halfway  House ' 
ere  we  rattled  under  a  grove  of  trees  completely 
shutting  out  the  fading  light,  and  pulled  up  with 
a  sudden  jerk,  that  well-nigh  pitched  me  over  the 
mustangs.  *  Guess  we've  made  it,  Cap'en;  this 
here's  the  manager's.' 

Giving  my  letters  of  introduction  to  Mr. 
Young,  a  hospitable  invitation  to  be  his  guest 
was  readily  accepted.  I  cannot  help  devoting  a 
line  to  the  praise  of  a  house  most  enjoyable  in  its 
minutest  details,  with  a  host  and  hostess  it  re- 
freshes one's  heart  to  recall  to  memory. 

The  lower  village  of  Almaden  consists  of  a 
long  row  of  veiy  pretty  cottages,  the  residences 
of  the  workmen  employed  in  smelting  the  ore ; 
each  cottage  was  completely  buried  with  honey- 
suckle and  creeping  roses ;  the  gardens  in  front 
filled  with  flowers,  and  at  the  back  with  vege- 
tables and  fruit.  A  small  stream  of  water,  clear 
and  cold,  ripples  past  the  frontage,  brought  from 
a  mountain-burn  that  runs  swiftly  at  the  back, 
a  barrier  dividing  the  gardens  from  the  sur- 
rounding hills.  An  avenue  of  trees  leads  from 
the  cottages  to  the  spacious  brick  buildings  used 
for  smelting. 

The  discovery  of  these  fabulously  rich  mines  of 


I 


DISCOVERY   OF   QUICKSILVER   MINES. 


209 


quicksilver  is  briefly  told.  Long  ere  gold  was 
discovered  in  California,  the  padres  and  early 
settlers  knew  of  a  cavern  in  the  hillside,  about 
a  mile  and  a  half  from  the  present  village. 
Deeming  it  merely  a  natural  fissure  or  cleft  in 
the  rock,  explorations  only  were  made  by  the 
more  adventurous  as  to  its  extent,  which  proved 
to  be  in  length  one  hundred  feet,  running  into 
the  mountain  horizontally.  No  one  ever  thought 
it  was  an  artificial  excavation  of  great  antiquity. 
When  the  vaqueros  and  old  dons  of  the  neigh- 
bourhood were  questioned  by  a  new-comer  about 
the  cave,  a  shrug  of  the  shoulders,  and  the  usual 
reply,  '  Quien  sabe  ?  son  cosas  muy  antiguas,'  was 
the  sole  information  obtained. 

A  gold-seeker,  assaying  some  of  the  rock,  sali- 
vated himself,  and  thus  discovered  it  was  rich  in 
quicksilver.  A  grant,  with  the  land  adjoining, 
was  procured,  and  the  original  opening  widened ; 
in  clearing  away  the  rubble  and  dirt  at  the  end 
of  the  cave,  several  skeletons  were  discovered, 
together  with  rude  mining- tools  and  other  curious 
relics,  clearly  proving  it  an  old  excavation  made 
by  the  natives  for  the  purpose  of  procuring  ver- 
milion, so  much  used  by  all  savages  to  paint 
themselves.  The  position  of  the  skeletons  in  the 
rubbish  covering  them  left  no  doubt  that,  having 

VOL.  I.  f 


I 

( 


li  It 


i  1^ 


f    I 


210 


MULE-HUNTING   EXPEDITION. 


followed  the  vein  of  cinnabar  without  exercising 
due  precaution  to  prop  the  loose  ground  over- 
head, they  had  been  literally  buried  alive  in  a 
grave  of  their  own  digging.  Further  research 
soon  revealed  the  immense  value  of  the  deposit. 
Many  years  rolled  away,  and  very  little  was  done 
until  it  passed  from  the  hands  of  an  English 
company  into  that  of  an  American  firm. 

The  mine  is  about  a  mile  and  a  half  from  the 
smelting- works,  on  the  side  of  a  mountain ;  an 
admirable  road  leads  to  it  by  a  gentle  ascent, 
down  which  waggons  drawn  by  mules  bring  the 
ore  to  be  smelted.  On  reaching  the  summit 
I  rested  on  a  level  plateau,  on  which  the  upper 
works  are  built ;  I  am  to  descend  presently  into 
the  depths  of  the  mine  to  see  how  the  ore  is 
deposited,  and  trace,  step  by  step,  the  various 
processes  it  has  to  go  through  before  it  is  mar- 
ketable. 

The  main  entrance  is  a  tunnel  ten  feet  high, 
and  about  an  equal  width  throughout,  in  which 
runs  a  tramway  leading  to  the  shaft.  At  the 
end  of  this  tunnel  a  small  steam-engine  does  the 
work  of  the  poor  'tanateros,'  or  carriers,  who, 
until  very  recently,  brought  the  ore  and  rubbish 
from  the  bottom  of  the  mine  on  their  backs,  a 
system  still  adopted  in  Spain  and  Peru,  each  man 


ii 


yii 


DESCENT    INTO    THE    MINE. 


211 


having  to  bring  up  a  load  of  two  hundred  pounds, 
in  a  bag  made  of  hide,  fastened  by  two  straps 
passing  round  the  shoulders,  and  a  broader  one 
across  the  forehead,  which  mainly  sustains  the 
load.  It  was  fatal  work  to  the  poor  Mexicans 
who  had  to  do  it,  the  terrible  muscular  strain 
soon  producing  disease  and  death  ! 

On  reaching  the  engine  I  am  undressed  and 
rigged  as  a  miner,  a  costume  far  more  loose  and 
easy  than  becoming.  Three  dip-candles  dangled 
from  a  button  on  my  jacket  by  the  wicks,  and 
one  enveloped  in  a  knob  of  clay  for  my  hand, 
completed  my  toilet.  The  next  process  is  to  be 
lowered  down  into  the  mine.  Squeezing  myself 
into  a  huge  kind  of  bucket,  and  assuming  as 
near  as  practicable  the  shape  and  position  of  a 
frog,  my  candle  lighted,  *  All  right ! '  says  some- 
body, and  I  find  myself  rapidly  descending  a 
damp  dismal  hole,  dripping  with  water  like  a 
shower.  Of  course  I  shudder,  and  have  horrible 
ideas  of  an  abyss,  ending  no  one  knows  where ; 
the  candle  hissed,  sputtered,  and  went  out;  the 
bucket  swang  as  the  chain  lengthened,  and 
bumped  unpleasantly  against  the  rocks ;  now  a 
sudden  stop,  and  a  lively  consciousness  of  being 
dragged  bodily  out  like  a  bundle  of  clothes,  dis- 
closes the  fact  of  my  safe  arrival  at  the  bottom. 


P  2 


! 


i  f 


I  I   ! 


212 


MULE-HUNTING   EXPEDITION. 


The  swarthy  Mexican  miner  deputed  as  guide 
leads  the  way  along  a  narrow  gulley,  and  down  an 
incline  to  the  mouth  of  another  hole,  the  descent 
to  which  has  to  be  effected  on  a  slanting  pole, 
with  notches  cut  in  it,  very  like  a  bear-pole, 
called  by  the  miner  an  escalera,  requiring  a  salta- 
tory performance  that  would  not  have  been  so 
bad  if  I  had  only  known  where  I  should  have 
landed  in  case  of  falling.  After  this  we  scramble 
down  a  flight  of  steps  cut  in  the  rock,  and 
reach  the  lowest  excavation,  about  one  thou- 
sand feet  from  the  surface. 

The  cinnabar  is  found  in  large  pockets,  or  in 
veins,  permeating  a  kind  of  trap-rock;  and  as 
the  miners  dig  it  out,  large  columns  or  pillars  are 
left  to  support  the  roof,  and  prevent  the  chance 
of  its  falling  in.  A  small  charcoal-fire  burned 
slowly  at  the  base  of  one  of  these  massive 
columns,  and  as  its  flickering  light  fell  dimly, 
illuminating  with  a  ruddy  glow  the  bronzed  faces 
and  nearly  nude  figures  of  the  miners,  the  ver- 
milion hue  of  the  rugged  walls  and  arched  roof, 
sparkling  with  glittering  crystals,  forcibly  re- 
minded me  of  a  brigand's  cave,  such  as  Salvator 
Rosa  loved  to  paint. 

All  the  work  is  done  by  contract :  each  gang 
taking   a    piece  of  ground  on   speculation,   is 


A   BLAST   UNDERGROUND. 


213 


paid  according  to  the  amount  of  ore  produced  ; 
the  ore  averaging  about  thirty-six  per  cent,  for 
quicksilver,  although  some  pieces  that  I  dug 
myself  produced  seventy-five  per  cent.  Many 
mines  in  Europe  have  been  profitably  worked 
when  the  cinnabar  has  yielded  only  one  per 
cent. 

A  shrill  whistle  nngs  through  the  mine ;  the 
miners  from  all  directions  rush  towards  the  pil- 
lars. Thinking,  at  least,  the  entire  concern  was 
tumbling  in,  I  was  about  to  scamper  off^,  when 
the  guide,  seizing  my  arm,  drags  me  behind  a  pro- 
jecting mass  of  rock,  simply  saying,  'A  blast!' 
For  a  while  there  was  a  deathlike  silence — not  a 
sound  save  the  hiss  of  the  fusee,  and  the  heavv 
breathing  of  the  men;  then  the  cave  lighted  up 
with  a  lurid  flash,  shedding  a  blinding  glare  over 
every  object  like  tropical  lightning.  The  dark 
galleries  appeared  and  disappeared  in  the  twink- 
ling of  an  eye,  whilst  the  report,  like  countless 
cannon,  was  echoed,  and  reechoed  through  the 
cavernous  chamber.  Showers  of  fragments  came 
rattling  down  in  every  direction,  hurled  up  by 
the  force  of  the  powder.  On  the  smoke  clearing, 
the  miners  set  to  work  to  collect  the  scattered 
fragments  of  cinnabar.  If  a  blast  has  been  suc- 
cessful, often  many  tons  of  rock  are  loosened  and 


314 


MULE  HUNTING   EXPEDITION. 


torn  out,  to  be  broken  into  small  pieces  and  con- 
veyed to  the  bucket,  and  hauled  by  the  engine 
to  the  surface.  The  mining  operations  are  con- 
tinned  night  and  day,  seventy-four  pounds  of 
candles  being  consumed  every  twenty-four  hours. 

I  finish  the  sui^v^ey  of  this  singular  mine 
perfectly  free  from  foul  air  or  fire-damp  ;  ascend 
as  I  came  down ;  and,  by  vigorous  rubbing  with 
soap-and-water,  am  slowly  restored  from  bright 
vermilion  to  my  normal  colour. 

The  ore,  on  reaching  the  surface,  is  conveyed 
by  the  tram-cart  to  the  sorting-shed,  where  it  is 
broken  and  carefully  picked  over  by  skilful  hands, 
great  caution  being  needed  in  selection,  as  much 
valuable  ore  might  be  thrown  away,  or  a  large 
quantity  of  useless  rock  taken  to  the  smelting- 
furnaces.  The  picked  ore  is  placed  in  large  bags 
made  of  sheepskin,  weighed;  and  then  hauled 
by  the  mules  to  the  lower  works. 

Near  the  mine  is  a  primitive  kind  of  village, 
the  abode  of  the  miners,  sorters,  and  ore-carriers, 
who  are  principally  Mexicans;  dirty  senoras  in 
ragged  finery,  dirtier  children  devoid  of  gar- 
ments, together  with  dogs,  pigs,  poultry,  and  idle 
miners  playing  monte  on  the  doorsteps,  contrast 
sadly  with  the  exquisite  little  village  at  the 
works. 


THE   SMELTING   FURNACES. 


215 


Descending  from  the  mine  to  the  level  ground 
by  a  short  track  down  the  hillside,  through 
scenery  indescribably  picturesque,  I  reach  the 
smelting  furnaces  ;  these,  occupying  about  four 
acres  of  land,  are  built  of  brick,  admirably  neat, 
and  well  contrived.  As  quicksilver  is  found 
in  several  forms — namely,  native  quicksilver,  oc- 
curring in  small  drops,  in  the  pores  or  on  the 
ledges  of  other  rocks,  argental  mercury,  a  na- 
tive silver  amalgam,  and  sulphide  of  mercury 
or  ciimabar,  different  processes  are  requisite  for 
its  reduction.  Here  it  is  found  solely  in  form 
of  cinnabar,  and  to  reduce  it  a  kind  of  reverbe- 
ratory  furnace  is  used,  three  feet  by  five,  placed 
at  the  end  of  a  series  of  chambers,  each  chamber 
seven  feet  long,  four  wide,  and  five  high.  About 
ten  of  these  chambers  are  aiTanged  in  a  line, 
built  of  brick,  plastered  inside,  and  secured  by 
transverse  rods  of  iron,  fitted  at  the  ends  with 
screws  and  nuts,  to  allow  for  expansion.  The 
top  is  of  boiler  iron,  securely  luted. 

The  first  chamber  is  the  furnace  for  fire, 
the  second  for  ore,  separated  from  the  first  by 
a  grated  partition,  allowing  the  flame  to  pass 
through  and  play  over  the  cinnabar.  This  ore- 
chamber,  when  filled,  contains  ten  thousand 
pounds  of  cinnabar.     The  remaining  chambers 


216 


MULE-HUNTING   EXPEDITION. 


1^     ) 


h     i 


are  for  condensing  the  metal,  communicating  by 
square  holes  at  the  opposite  comers ;  for  instance, 
the  right  upper  corner  and  lower  left,  and  vice 
versd^  so  that  the  vapour  has  to  perform  a  spiral 
course  in  its  transit  through  the  condensers. 
Leaving  the  chambers,  the  vapour  is  conducted 
through  a  large  wooden  cistern,  into  which  a 
shower  of  water  continually  falls,  and  thence 
through  a  long  flue  and  tall  chimney  carried  far 
away  up  the  hillside. 

The  mercury  is  collected,  as  condensed,  in 
gutters  running  into  a  long  conduit  outside  the 
building,  from  which  it  drops  into  an  iron  pot 
sunk  in  the  earth.  As  the  pot  fills,  the  mercury 
is  conveyed  to  a  store- tank  that  holds  twenty 
tons.  So  great  is  its  density,  that  a  man  sitting 
on  a  flat  board  floats  about  in  the  tank  on  a  lake 
of  mercury  without  its  flowing  over  the  edges 
of  his  raft.  From  this  tank  the  metal  is  ladled 
out,  and  poured  into  iron  flasks  containing  each 
seventy  pounds  (these  flasks  are  made  in  Eng- 
land, and  sent  to  New  Almaden) :  in  this  state 
it  is  shipped  for  the  various  markets. 

Although  every  possible  care  has  been  taken 
to  prevent  the  mercurial  fumes  from  injuring  the 
smelters,  still  a  great  deal  of  it  is  necessarily 
inhaled,  most  injurious  to  health.     Clearing  out 


EXPORT   OF   QUICKSILVER. 


air 


the  furnace  is  the  most  hurtful  procesf»,  the  men 
employed  working  short  spells,  and  resting  a  day 
or  two  between.  A  furnace  charged  with  ore,  I 
am  told,  takes  about  eight  days  to  sublime  and 
cool. 

It  is  difficult  to  obtain  a  correct  statement  of 
the  absolute  yield  of  this  mine ;  proprietors,  for 
many  reasons,  deeming  it  inexpedient  to  let 
the  world  know  the  extent  of  their  riches.  The 
export  of  quicksilver  from  San  Francisco,  a  few 
years  back,  may,  I  think,  be  averaged  at  1,350,000 
pounds  of  mercury  per  annum,  valued  at  683,189 
dollars ;  and  this,  together  with  the  large  amount 
consumed  in  California,  was  the  sole  produce  of 
the  New  Almaden  mines. 

There  are  fourteen  furnaces,  arranged  with 
passages  ten  feet  wide  between  them,  the  whole 
covered  with  a  roof  sufficiently  high  to  allow 
a  current  of  air  to  circulate  freely.  Between 
the  furnaces  and  on  all  the  open  spaces  are 
innumerable  bricks,  just  as  we  see  them  in  a 
brickyard  to  harden  before  baking.  On  inquir- 
ing what  these  were  made  for,  I  discover  that 
all  the  fragments  and  dust-cinnabar  are  pounded 
together,  mixed  with  water,  and  made  into  bricks : 
in  this  form  the  ore  can  be  conveniently  built  into 
the  furnace,  securing  intervening  spaces  for  the 


it 


218 


MULE-IIUNTING   EXPEDITION. 


I 


flame  and  heat  to  act  on ;  thus  more  perfect  sub- 
limation is  secured,  and  a  great  saving  of  metal 
effected.  There  are  blacksmiths'  and  carpenters' 
slio{s  and  a  sawmill  adjoining  the  furnaces. 

Until  recently  all  the  ore  was  brought  down 
from  the  mine  packed  on  the  backs  of  mules,  a 
most  costly  system  of  transport  as  compared  to 
the  one  now  in  use.  The  vegetation  only  suffers 
immediately  round  the  chimney,  and  even  there 
not  to  any  alarming  degree.  The  flue,  being  of 
great  length,  carried  at  a  moderate  slope  up  the 
hill,  and  terminating  in  a  very  tall  chimney, 
completely  condenses  all  mercurial  and  arsenical 
fumes.  Before  this  flue  and  stack  were  con- 
structed, even  the  nmles  and  cattle  grazing  in 
the  pastures  died  from  the  poisonous  eft'ects  of 
the  mercurial  vapour;  and  its  deadly  action  on 
vegetation  was  like  that  of  the  fabled  upas-tree. 
The  workmen  now,  as  a  rule,  enjoy  very  good 
health,  and  are  admirably  cared  for;  the  village 
boasts  a  capital  hotel,  and  stages  run  daily  to 
San  Jos6  and  San  Francisco. 

A  spring  of  native  soda-water,  bubbling  up 
in  the  centre  of  the  village,  protected  and  fitted 
like  a  drinking-fountain,  is  said  to  work  wonders 
as  a  curative  agent  in  all  maladies  arising  from 
the   effects   of  mercury.     This   spring  is   sup- 


B^^-,^ 


RETUUN   TO   SAN  FRANCISCO. 


219 


posed  to  be  under  the  especial  care  of  a  '  Saint 
Somebody,'  a  lady  whose  image,  attired  in  very 
dirty  finery,  figures  in  niches  cut  in  the  rocks  at 
the  mine.  No  miner  ever  leaves  or  enters  the 
mine  without  prostrating  himself  before  this 
dirty  efligy. 

March  dth. — Return  to  San  Francisco  by 
road ;  dine  at  San  Mateo,  as  lovely  a  spot  as  1 
ever  gazed  on.  The  grass  is  kneedeep,  and  the 
clumps  of  buck-eye  {Esculus  flava)  and  handsome 
oaks  besprinkling  the  rounded  hills  and  banks 
of  the  clear  stream  winding  its  way  past  the 
village  to  the  Bay  of  San  Francisco,  like  a  lake 
glistening  in  the  distance,  reminded  me  of  a 
park  in  fertile  Devonshire.  Completely  shut  in, 
and  sheltered  from  the  wind  that  blows  nearly 
all  the  summer,  withering  up  the  vegetation  ex- 
posed to  its  influence,  everything  round  about 
this  favoured  spot  grows  in  wild  luxuriance.  In 
the  garden  belonging  to  the  roadside  house,  the 
summer  flowers  are  in  full  bloom,  and  vege- 
tables of  all  kinds  in  rare  abundance,  such  as  for 
size  and  quality  equal  anything  Covent  Garden 
Market  can  show. 

The  bay  runs  inland  about  forty  miles,  and  the 
land  on  its  shores  is  particularly  fertile,  and 
employed  in  great  measure  for  dairy-farms  and 
stock-ranches. 


220 


MULE-IIUNTING   EXPEDITION. 


I  ill 


For  the  first  time  T  gather  the  poison-oak 
(Rhus  toxicodendron),  a  pretty  plant,  that 
climbs  by  rootlets,  like  the  ivy,  and  trails  grace- 
fully over  both  rocks  and  trees.  Some  persons 
are  most  seriously  affected  by  it,  especially  such 
as  are  of  fair  complexion,  if  they  only  venture 
near  where  it  grows.  It  produces  swelling  about 
the  eyes,  dizziness,  and  fever;  the  poisonous  ef- 
fects are  most  virulent  when  the  plant  is  burst- 
ing into  leaf.  I  picked,  examined,  and  walked 
amidst  the  trees  over  which  it  twined  thickly, 
but  experienced  not  the  slightest  symptoms  of 
inconvenience.  Still,  I  know  others  that  suffer 
whenever  they  come  near  it.  Where  the  poison- 
oak  thiives,  there  too  grows  a  tuber  known  to 
the  settlers  as  Bouncing  Bet,  to  the  botanist 
as  Saponaria  officinalis,  the  common  soapwort. 
The  tuber  is  filled  with  a  mucilaginous  juice 
which,  having  the  property  of  entangling  air 
when  whisked  up,  makes  a  lather  like  soap.  This 
lather  is  said  to  be  an  unfailing  specific  against 
the  effects  of  the  poison -oak — the  poison  and  its 
antidote  growing  side  by  side ! 


f       M 


SACRAMENTO. 


221 


CHAPTER    IX. 


SACRAMENTO  —  STOCKTON  —  CALIFORNIAN     GROUND-SQUIRRELS 

GRASS  VALLEY — STAGE  TRAVELLING — HYDRAULIC  WASHINGS — 
NEVADA — MAIJYSVILLE — VV  THE  SACRAMENTO  RIVER  TO  RED 
BLUFFS A    DANGEROUS    RATH. 

March  J  0th. — At  San  Francisco  this  morning  a 
friend  took  me  to  see  the  '  What  Cheer  House,' 
a  very  large  hotel,  supported  by  gold-miners, 
where  they  make  up  six  hundred  beds,  every 
lodger  having  a  small  room  to  himself,  with 
marble  wash-stand,  looking-glass,  and  dressing- 
table.  Each  story  shuts  off  from  the  next  by 
fireproof  doors,  and  the  water  is  forced  to  the 
top  of  the  house,  where  there  are  hoses,  fire- 
buckets,  and  axes  epough  to  fit  out  a  fire-brigade. 
A  large  steam-engine  is  the  cook's  assistant,  doing 
everything  that  hands  usually  do ;  it  kneads  the 
bread,  rolls  the  dough,  drives  the  roasting  gear, 
grinds  coff^ee,  peals  apples  and  potatoes,  beats  the 
eggs  (twelve  hundred  dozen  a  week),  washes, 
irons,  dries,  and  mangles  the  clothes ;  heats  the 
water  for  the  bathing-houses,  which  are  perfect 


222 


MULE-HUNTING   EXPEDITION. 


Ei     i; 


'itr 


in  every  detail ;  does  all  the  pumping,  and  cleans 
the  knives. 

Adjoining  the  dining-room  is  a  well-selected 
library,  general  reading-room,  and  museum,  con- 
taining a  capital  collection  of  stuffed  birds,  and 
other  useful  objects  of  Natural  History.  The  rate 
each  miner  pays  is  five  dollars,  equal  to  1/.  per 
week:  this  includes  eating  and  drinking.  The 
house  is  strictly  a  temperance  one,  no  fermented 
liquor  being  allowed  within  it. 

Wandering  about  San  Francisco  would  be  much 
more  enjoyable,  if  the  hills  were  less  steep,  and  the 
wind,  which  is  everlastingly  blowing,  freighted 
with  fine  sand,  that  finds  its  way  into  your  very 
watchcase,  could  be  stilled. 

March  ll/A.-;-Steaming  across  the  bay  in  a 
white  steamer  called  the  '  Eclipse,'  propelled  by 
the  largest  paddlewheels  I  ever  saw.  We  are 
en  route  to  Sacramento,  which  we  reach  late  at 
night. 

March  l^th. — Strolled  about.  Hardly  believe 
so  vast  a  place  can  have  grown  up  in  ten  years. 
I  think  I  like  it  better  than  San  Francisco.  The 
streets  running  east  and  west  are  marked  by 
numbers — \st  street,  Ind  street,  and  so  on ;  those 
having  a  north  and  south  bearing  by  letter,  as — 
A  street,  B  street,  &c.  Received  a  telegram 
from  the  Commissioner,  who  had  just  reached 


I  ^11 


STOCKTON. 


223 


San  Francisco    on    his   return  from    England, 
to  join  him. 

Nothing  material  occurs  in  my  journal  until 
March  2Srd. — I  am  at  the  Webber  House  in 
Stockton,  a  very  pretty  city,  built  on  what  the 
Americans  call  a  sleiv^  or,  in  other  words,  a 
muddy  arm  of  the  San  Joaquin  river.  The 
country  round  is  perfectly  flat,  but  fertile  be- 
yond description.  To  obtain  water  the  inhabit- 
ants have  only  to  bore  an  augur-hole  about  nine 
feet  in  depth,  when  it  bubbles  up  like  a  fountain. 
In  nearly  every  garden  is  a  tiny  windmill,  em- 
ployed to  irrigate  the  peach-orchards  and  gene- 
mi  croi^'S.  Hear  of  700  mules  that  have  just 
arrived  from  Salt  Lake  city. 

March  24^A. — Drive  out  in  a  buggy  to  the 
mule  ranch.  The  countiy  very  bare  of  timber, 
but  thickly  covered  with  grass.  Every  hillock, 
I  observe,  is  burrowed  like  a  rabbit-warren  by 
the  Californian  ground-squirrel  (Spermophilus 
Beechyii).  I  am  told  that  it  is  next  to  impossible 
to  drive  out  or  exterminate  these  most  destruc- 
tive pests ;  entire  fields  of  young  wheat  are  cleared 
off  by  them,  as  if  mowed  down ;  gardens  are  in- 
vaded, and  a  year's  labour  and  gain  destroyed  in 
a  single  day.  Trapping,  shooting,  and  strych- 
nine have  failed  to  accomplish  the  work  of  ex- 
tinction.    Farmers  often  flood  entire  districts. 


224 


MULE-HUNTING   EXPEDITION. 


511 


-■,(! 


*  to  drown  out  the  darned  cusses !  *  Their  habits 
are  strictly  diurnal;  and  pretty  lively  little  fel- 
lows they  are,  scampering  off  to  their  holes  on 
the  approach  of  danger,  where  they  sit  up 
on  their  hind-legs,  peering  curiously  at  the 
intruder.  You  may  come  very  near  now :  there 
is  a  safe  retreat  behind,  and  he  knows  it.  When 
too  close,  however,  for  safety's  sake,  the  squirrel 
gives  a  shrill  defiant  whistle,  like  the  laugh  of 
a  sprite,  and  dashes  into  its  burrow. 

Purchased  twenty-one  mules,  at  150  dollars 
per  head;  the  others  were  team-mules,  and  too 
large  for  pack  animals.  My  mules  are  to  remain 
on  the  ranch  until  I  have  ccrr  dieted  my  other 
purchases. 

March  25th. — Cross  in  the  sta^c  xrom  Stockton 
to  Sacramento,  a  distance  of  about  forty  miles, 
through  a  country  fertile  in  the  extreme.  Wild 
flowers,  in  endless  variety  of  colour,  decked 
the  grass-land.  The  hawthorn,  white  with  blos- 
som, perfumes  the  air;  and  the  waving  green 
cornfields  contrast  pleasantly  with  the  foliage 
of  the  oaks  and  chestnuts  scattered  about  in 
graceful  clumps.  We  change  horses  at  Wood- 
bridge,  Fugit  Ranch,  and  Elk  Grove,  and  at 
four  o'clock  pull  up  at  the  St.  George's  Hotel, 
Sacramento. 


1/    'I  ' 


STAGE   TRAVELLING. 


225 


March  26^A. — I  am  again  on  the  road,  this 
time  bound  to  Grass  Valley.  A  clumsy  railway 
"svith  cars^  or  carriages,  like  the  yellow  caravans 
giants,  dwarfs,  and  wise  pigs  travel  in,  bumps 
me  out  to  Fulsome,  about  thirty  miles  off.  Here 
I  am  hustled  into  a  stage,  without  a  chance  of 
seeing  anything  but  mud,  in  which  the  horses 
are  standing  knee-deep. 

This  stage  is  different  from  any  I  have  seen ; 
loops,  straps,  and  other  contrivances,  clearly 
meant  to  hold  on  by,  evidence  an  inequality  of 
motion  and  tendency  to  upset  that  give  rise  to 
disagreeable  forebodings.  Constructed  to  hold 
nine  inside,  the  centre  seat  swings  like  a  bale 
dividing  horses  in  a  stable,  and  being  somewhat 
rounded  and  padded,  looks  very  like  it.  Five 
passengers  seat  themselves.  I  have  hardly  time 
to  look  at  them,  when  a  loud  cracking  of  whips, 
several  voices  yelling  'Hi!  git  up!'  'Hi!  git 
along !'  and  a  sudden  jerk  sends  me  upon  the  hale 
— a  general  splash  and  scramble — and  we  are  off! 

We  do  the  first  ten  miles  with  a  bearable 
amount  of  jolting,  and  stop  to  change  horses.  The 
five  insiders  get  out,  and  we  take  a  nip  at  tlie 
roadside  house,  or  what  would  be  such  if  there 
were  any  roads.  I  observe  four  most  perverse, 
obstinate,  wild-looking  horses  being  cautiously 

VOL.  I.  ^ 


2-26 


MULE-HUNTING   EXPEDITION. 


I 


!' 


fastened  to  the  stage;  they  are  clearly  unedu- 
cated— *wild  mustangs '  one  of  the  insiders  called 
them.  They  are  held  tightly.  *A11  aboard,  boys?' 
says  the  driver  (they  call  him  Mose) — in  we 
scramble — bang  slams  the  door — and  with  an 
awful  lurch  away  we  go!  Now  I  can  under- 
stand the  suspicious-looking  machinery,  designed, 
on  the  principle  of  life-buoys,  for  stage-tossed 
travellers  to  cling  to.  Holding  on  to  these  we 
swing  along  as  hard  as  the  beasts  can  gallop. 

T  am  told  by  a  fellow-passenger  that  unless  the 
*  mustangs  start  at  a  gallop,  they  either  upset  the 
stage,  or  kick  themselves  clear  of  the  harness.' 
On  this  journey  they  were  agreeable  enough  to 
gallop  off,  so  we  escaped  the  two  contingencies. 
Several  times  Mose  shouted,  '  Get  out,  boys,  and 
hang  on  awhile.'  I  discover  that  this  means  that 
we  are  to  cling  to  the  side  of  the  stage,  that 
our  united  weight  may  prevent  its  capsizing, 
when  going  along  the  side  of  a  slope  like  the 
slant  of  a  housetop. 

Near  dark  we  are  requested  by  '  Mose*  to  walk 
up  the  last  hill.  A  tall  sallow  man,  with  a  face 
hollow  and  sunken,  closely  shaven,  except  a  tuft 
at  the  chin,  steps  along  with  me,  and  we  reach 
the  top  of  the  hill  a  good  time  before  the  stage. 
We  are  standing  amidst  some  scrubby  timber. 


TOWN   OF   GRASS   VALLEY. 


227 


The  long  shadows  of  the  trees  are  swallowed  up 
in  the  gathering  gloom,  the  music  of  the  forest 
has  died  away,  and,  save  the  wind  sighing  through 
the  leafy  foliage,  everything  is  still.  My  com- 
panion draws  nearer.  '  Stranger,'  he  began,  in  a 
voice  that  appeared  to  come  from  his  boots,  and 
get  out  at  his  nose,  'jist  war  we  are  standin', 
three  weeks  agone,  a  tarnation  big  grizzly  come 
slick  upon  two  men,  jist  waitin*  for  the  stage,  as 
we  are ;  chawed  up  one,  and  would  a  gone  in  for 
t'other,  but  he  made  tall  travellin'  for  the  stage. 
When  they  came  up  Ephraim  had  skedaddled, 
and  they  never  see  him  or  old  Buck-eye  arter.' 

This  is  refreshing !  I  hope  if  'old  Ephraim'  does 
come,  he  may  eat  my  tough  companion.  The 
stage  came,  but  the  bear  did  not.  We  reach  our 
destination  at  8  p.m. :  how  sore  I  am ! 

March  27th. — A  good  sleep  has  worked  won- 
ders. I  find  Grass  Valley  a  romantic  little 
mountain  town,  about  2,200  feet  above  the  sea- 
level,  on  the  western  slope  of  the  Sierra  Nevada, 
owing  its  existence  entirely  to  gold-mining. 
Visited  Mr.  A.'s  mill — a  magnificent  quartz- 
crusher.  Nine  stamp-heads,  each  900  lbs.  in 
weight,  are  worked  by  one  of  Watts'  engines. 
The  fine-dust  gold  is  collected  on  blankets,  or 
bullocks'  hides  with  the  hair  on,  over  which  the 

Q  2 


298 


MULE- HUNTING  EXPEDITION. 


h  i 


water  washes  it,  as  it  comes  from  the  stamp-heads. 
Some  of  the  most  productive  gold  deposits  in 
California  were  discovered  in  and  about  this 
quaint  little  place.  I  descend  a  shaft  240  feet 
deep.  The  gold  is  distributed  through  the  mud 
and  silt  of  what  was  clearly  an  ancient  river- 
bed. 

March  2Sith. — Ride  on  horseback  to  Nevada 
and  Hunt's  Hill.  Nevada  is  a  clean  pretty  city, 
with  gay  shops,  brightly-painted  houses,  and 
planked  streets.  Near  it  are  the  famed  hydraulic 
washings.  The  gold  is  disseminated  through 
terraces  of  shingle  conglomerates,  often  three 
hundred  feet  in  thickness.  These  terraces  are 
actually  washed  entirely  off  the  face  of  the 
country,  by  propelling  jets  of  water  against 
them,  forced  under  great  pressure  through  a 
nozzle.  To  accomplish  this,  the  water  is  brought 
in  canals,  tunnels,  and  wooden  aqueducts,  often 
forty  miles  away  from  the  drift.  This  supply 
of  water  the  miners  rent. 

As  we  near  the  washing-spot,  in  every  direction 
immense  hose,  made  of  galvanized  iron,  and  canvas 
tubes  six  feet  round,  coil  in  all  directions  over 
the  ground,  like  gigantic  serpents,  converging 
towards  a  gap,  where  they  disappear.  On  reach- 
ing this  gap,  I  look  down  into  a  basin,  or  dry 


HYDRAULIC    GOLD-WASHINGS. 


229 


lake,  300  feet  below  me.  The  hose  hangs  down 
this  cliff  of  shingle,  and  following  its  course  by 
a  zigzag  path,  I  reach  a  plateau  of  rock,  from 
which  the  shingle  has  already  been  washed.  A 
man  stands  at  the  end  of  each  hose,  that  has 
for  its  head  a  brass  nozzle.  With  the  force  of 
cannon-shot  water  issues,  in  a  large  jet,  from 
this  tube  ;  and  propelled  against  the  shingle, 
guided  by  the  men,  washes  it  away,  as  easily  as 
we  could  broom  a  molehill  from  off  the  grass. 

The  stream  of  water,  bearing  with  it  the  ma- 
terials washed  from  out  the  cliff,  runs  through 
wooden  troughs  called  *  flumes,*  floored  with 
granite;  these  flumes  extend  six  miles.  Men 
are  stationed  at  regular  dist.mces  to  fork  out 
the  heavy  stones.  Throughout  its  entire  length 
transverse  strips  of  wood  dam  back  a  tiny  pond 
of  mercury ;  these  are  called  riffles — gold-traps, 
in  other  words — that  seize  on  the  fine -dust  gold 
distributed  throughout  the  shingle.  The  '  flumes ' 
are  cleaned  about  once  a  month,  and  the  gold 
extracted  from  the  mercury.  Masses  of  wood 
occur,  in  every  stage  of  change,  from  that  of 
pure  silica  to  soft  asbestiform  material,  and  pure 
carbon. 

I  am  strongly  disposed  to  think  this  immense 
hollow  must  have  been  the  rocky  shore  of  an 


I  I 


I    I 


980 


MULE-HUNTING   EXPEDITION. 


inlet  or  a  lagoon ;  the  rocks  underlying  the  shingle 
have  all  the  appearance,  when  denuded  by  the 
washing,  of  sea-wear.  I  try  with  a  powerful 
lens  to  detect  gold  amidst  the  material  they  are 
washing,  but  not  a  trace  is  discoverable,  and  yet 
.  it  pays  an  immense  profit  to  the  gold- washers. 

Hunt's  Hill  is  a  timbered  mountain,  about 
3,500  feet  in  altitude.  Washing  its  base  is  the 
Greenhorn  river,  on  the  banks  of  which  some 
very  rich  gold-washings  are  earned  on,  as  well 
as  at  Bear  Creek,  on  the  opposite  slope  of  the 
ridge.  Clothing  the  hill,  towering  high  above 
the  shanties  of  the  miners,  the  sugar  and  nut- 
pines  wave  lazily;  the  immense  cones  of  the 
latter,  plentifully  besprinkling  the  ground,  af- 
ford a  feast  to  the  Indians  and  lesser  rodent 
mammals. 

March  2dth. — Return  to  Marysville.  Visited 
another  hydraulic  washing  at  Timbuctoo,  on  the 
Yuba  river,  much  the  same  as  that  seen  at  Ne- 
vada. Marysville  is  about  the  third  best  city  in 
California,  situated  on.  the  bank  of  the  Feather 
river,  which  is  rapidly  filling  up,  from  the  im- 
mense quantity  of  material  brought  down  from 
the  hydraulic  washings.  A  single  peach-orchard 
I  visited  was  200  acres,  all  fenced,  and  the 
trees  in  beautiful  health;  from  it,  I  am  told. 


RIVEB   VOYAGE   TO   RED   BLUFFS. 


S81 


80,000  dollars  were  returned  in  a  single  year  by 
the  sale  of  the  peaches. 

I  commence  my  journal  again  on 

April  24^A I  am  in  the  •  Victor '  steamboat,  a 

small  crank  flat-bottomed  aiFair,  pushed  against 
the  current  by  a  huge  stern-wheel — an  ugly 
appendage,  but  very  effective  in  navigating  swift 
shallow  streams.  I  am  bound  for  Red  Bluffs, 
275  miles  above  Sacramento.  Pass  the  exits  of 
the  Yuba  and  Feather  rivers,  and  change  the 
yellow  muddy  water  for  the  pure  sparkling 
stream  fresh  from  the  mountain. 

April  26th.  —  Starting  again — the  *  Victor' 
having  been  fastened  up  all  night,  tethered  to  a 
tree,  as  one  would  tie  up  his  horse — the  scenery, 
as  we  wend  along  the  sinuous  course  of  the 
stream,  rapidly  changes  its  character.  The  banks 
get  steep,  and  sharp  hills  take  the  place  of  the 
flat  lands  behind  us.  Wild  grape-vines  hang  in 
clustering  tangles  of  green  luxuriance  from  the 
branches  of  the  ilex,  oak,  and  arbutus,  forming 
a  continuous  arcade  over  the  water. 

The  Bluffs  are  reached.  A  straggling  town, 
built  on  a  high  bank  beetling  over  the  Sacramento 
river,  peeps  out,  from  amidst  some  tall  trees. 
Men,  women,  children,  and  dogs  are  crowding 


232 


MULE-HUNTING   EXPEDITION. 


I     If 


It     I 
I     I 


r 


down,  marching  like  ants  from  a  hill  towards  a  re- 
cent discovery  of  eatables.  The  banks  are  red,  the 
soil  is  red,  and  the  houses  are  built  of  red  brick 
— Rod  Bluffs,  a  proper  and  appropriate  name. 

Land,  and  put  up  at House,  not  remark- 
able for  anything  but  dirt  and  discomfort. 

April  26f/i. — Purchase  59  mules,  with  a  com- 
])lete  pack  ^wuLequipment.  My  mules  and  men, 
that  I  had  sent  by  land  from  Stockton,  arrive. 
Hire  two  additional  hands,  and  order  the  pro- 
visioning for  my  intended  trip. 

April  27th. — Mules  and  men  need  rest;  break- 
fast  over. 

'  Now,  Cap'en,'  says  mine  host,  as  I  was  debat- 
ing whether  it  would  be  wiser  to  remain  quietly 
at  home,  and  enjoy  a  thoroughly  idle  day,  or  join 
the  hunters,  '  I  calkilate  we've  got  to  worry  out 
this  day  somehow.  S'pose  we  take  a  ride  over  to 
the  Tuscan  Springs.  It's  a  mighty  strange  place, 
you  bet  your  life;  they  say  it's  right  over  the 
devil's  kitchen,  and  when  he's  tarnation  hot,  he 
comes  up  and  pops  out  his  head  to  get  a  taste 
of  fresh  air.  The  very  water  comes  risin'  up 
a-bilin',  and  the  pools  flash  into  flame  like 
powder,  if  you  put  fire  near  'um.' 

*  Why,  Major,'  I  replied,  '  it  is  the  place  of  all 
others  I  should  enjoy  seeing.     How  far  is  it? ' 


THE   MUSTANGS. 


xsa 


*  Waal,   it  ain't  over  ten  mile,  but  a  mighty 

bad  road  at  that Here,  Joe,  saddle  up,  and 

bring  round  two  mustangs.' 

The  mustangs  are  small  compact  horses,  sel- 
dom exceeding  fourteen -and -a- half  hands  in 
height,  descended  from  Spanish  stock,  originally 
brought  into  Mexico  on  its  conquest  by  the 
Spaniards.  They  run  wild  in  large  herds  on  the 
grassy  prairies  in  California  and  Texas,  and  are 
just  lassoed  when  needed.  I  may  perhaps  men- 
tion, en  passant^  that  a  lasso  is  from  thirty  to  forty 
feet  long,  and  made  of  strips  of  raw  hide  plaited 
together.  When  a  mustang  is  to  be  caught,  an 
experienced  hand  always  keeps  the  herd  to  wind- 
ward of  him ;  sufficiently  near  he  circles  the 
lasso  round  his  head,  and  -with  unerring  certainty 
flings  it  over  the  neck  of  the  horse  he  has  selected. 

The  end  of  a  lasso  being  made  fast  to  a  ring  in 
the  saddle,  as  soon  as  the  horse  is  captured,  the 
rider  turns  his  steed  sharp  round,  and  gallops 
off,  dragging  the  terrified  and  choking  animal 
after  him.  The  terrible  noose  becomes  tighter 
and  tighter,  pressing  on  the  windpipe,  until,  un- 
able to  offer  further  resistance,  the  panic-stricken 
beast  rolls  in  agony,  half  suffocated,  on  the  prairie. 
Never  after  this  does  the  horse  forget  the  lasso — 
the  sight  of  it  makes  him  tremble  in  every  limb. 


234 


MULE-HUNTING   EXPEDITION. 


i 


I  have  seen  the  most  wild  and  vicious  horses  ren- 
dered gentle  and  docile  in  a  minute,  by  simply 
laying  the  lasso  on  the  neck  behind  the  ears. 

The  breaking-in  is  a  veiy  simple  affair :  while 
the  animal  is  down  the  eyes  are  bandaged,  and  a 
powerful  Spanish  bit  placed  in  the  mouth.  This 
accomplished,  he  is  allowed  to  get  up,  and  the 
saddle  is  firmly  '  synched.'  The  saddles  commonly 
used  in  California  differs  very  little  from  those  used 
in  Mexico.  The  stirrups  are  cut  out  from  a  block 
of  wood,  allowing  only  the  point  of  the  toe  to 
be  inserted ;  they  are  set  far  back,  and  oblige  the 
rider  to  stand  rather  than  sit  in  the  saddle.  One 
girth  only  is  used,  styled  a  'synch,'  made  of 
horsehair,  and  extremly  wide;  no  buckles  or 
stitching  is  used,  but  all  is  fastened  with  strips 
of  raw  hide.  Everything  being  complete,  the 
rider  fixes  himself  firmly  in  the  saddle,  and  lean- 
ing forward  jerks  off  the  blind;  it  is  now  an 
open  question  who  is  to  have  the  best  of  it.  If 
the  man  succeeds  in  sitting  on  the  mustang  until 
he  can  spur  him  into  a  gallop,  his  wildness  is 
soon  taken  out  of  him,  and  one  or  two  more 
lessons  complete  the  breaking. 

Joe  by  this  time  had  made  his  appearance  with 
the  mustangs.  Mounting,  away  we  went  at  a 
raking  gallop ! 


RIDE   TO   TUSCAN   SPRINGS. 


23.1 


I  know  no  exercise  half  as  exhilarating  anil 
exciting  as  the  *  lope,'  a  kind  of  long  canter,  the 
travelling  pace  of  a  mustang ;  there  is  no  jarring 
or  jolting.  All  one  has  to  do  is  to  sit  firmly  in 
the  saddle ;  the  horse,  obeying  the  slightest  turn 
of  the  wrist  or  check  of  the  rein,  swings  along 
for  hours  at  a  stretch,  without  any  show  of 
weariness. 

Having  cropsed  the  Sacramento  in  a  '  scow,'  a 
kind  of  rough  erry-boat,  our  road  lay  over  broad 
pUins  and  through  scattered  belts  of  timber. 
The  grass  was  completely  burnt  up,  and  the 
series  of  gravel ;'  arroyos,  in  and  out  of  which 
we  continuall}  plunged  and  scrambled,  marked 
clearly  'hr,  course  of  ti.e  winter  streams. 

The  air  felt  hot  and  suit'  ;^  ^ut  fragrant  with 
the  perfume  of  the  mountain  cudweed.  Not 
a  cloud  was  visible  in  the  lurid  sky,  and  the 
distant  mountains,  thinly  dotted  with  timber, 
seemed  softened  and  subdued  as  seen  through  the 
blue  haze.  We  entered  a  valley  leading  through 
a  pile  of  volcanic  hills  that  one  could  easily  have 
'  aagined  had  been  once  the  habitat  of  civilised 
man.  The  wooded  glades  had  all  the  appearance 
of  lawns  and  parks  planted  with  exquisite  taste ; 
the  trees,  in  nothing  resembling  the  wild  growth 
of  the  forest,  were  grouped  in  every  variety  of 
graceful  outline. 


236 


MULE-HUNTING   EXPEDITION. 


On  either  side  the  hills  were  covered  with  wild 
oat  as  thick  as  it  could  grow ;  its  golden-yellow 
tints,  contrasting  with  the  dark  glossy-green  of 
the  cypress,  the  oak,  and  the  manzanata,  had  an 
indescribably  charming  effect.  As  we  advanced 
the  valley  gradually  narrowed,  until  it  became  a 
mere  canon  (the  Spanish  for  funnel),  shut  in  by 
vast  masses  of  rock  that  looked  like  heaps  of 
slag  and  cinder — bare,  black,  and  treeless.  A 
small  stream  of  bitter,  dark,  intensely  salt  water 
trickled  slowly  through  the  gorge. 

Following  a  rough  kind  of  road,  that  led  up 
the  base  of  the  hills  for  about  two  miles,  we  en- 
tered what  I  imagine  was  the  crater  of  an  extinct 
volcano ;  nearly  circular,  about  a  mile  in  dia- 
meter, and  shut  in  on  every  side  by  columnar 
walls  of  basalt.  There  was  a  weird  desolation 
about  the  place  that  forcibly  reminded  me  of  the 
Wolf's  Glen  in  Der  Freischiitz — a  fit  haunt  for 
Zamiel !  Scarce  a  trace  of  forest-life  was  to  be 
seen,  not  a  tree  or  flower;  everything  looked 
scorched  and  cinderous,  like  the  debris  of  a  ter- 
rible fire,  and  smelt  like  a  limekiln  on  a  sum- 
mer-night. A  long  narrow  house,  resembling 
a  cattle-shed,  stood  in  the  centre  of  this  circle. 

'  Waal,  Cap'en,  I  guess  we've  made  the  ranch 
anyhow,'  said  the  Major,  as  we  drew  up  at  the 


THE   MANAGER  OF   THE    SPRINGS. 


237 


door  of  this  most  uninviting-looking  establish- 
ment. '  A  mighty  tall  smell  of  brimstone,'  he 
further  added,  '  seems  coming  up  from  "  Old 
Hoof's  "  stove-pipe.  Calkilate  he's  doing  a  tallish 
kind  of  dinner  below.' 

I  had  no  time  to  reply,  ere  the  host,  owner, 
and  general  manager  of  the  Tuscan  Springs  made 
his  appearance.     'How's  your  health.  Doctor?' 

inquired  the  Major.  'I've  brought  up  Cap'en 

to  have  a  peep  at  your  location  ;  he's  mighty 
curious  about  these  kind  of  diggins.' 

'Waal,  Cap'en,'  said  the  Doctor,  in  a  long 
drawling  voice,  '  I  am  glad  to  see  you.  I  raither 
guess  you  don't  see  such  nat'ral  ready-made 
places,  for  curin'  jist  every  sickness,  in  the  old 
country  as  we  have  in  California. — Here,  boy, 
put  up  the  mustangs :  and  now  step  in,  and  I'll 
t'^l  old  aunty  to  scramble  up  some  eggs  and 
bacon,  and  then  we  can  take  a  look  round  the 
springs.' 

Aunty  was  a  quamt  specimen  of  the  feminine 
gender,  not  at  ail  suggestive  of  the  gentler  sex. 
Her  features  were  small,  but  sharply  cut.  She 
was  bent  naturally,  but  not  from  age,  and  re- 
minded me  of  a  witch.  One  would  not  have 
felt  at  all  astonished  at  seeing  her  mount  a 
broomstick,  and  start  on  an  aerial  trip  over  the 


238 


MULE-HUNTING   EXPEDITION. 


burnt-up  rocks.  But  all  honour  to  her  skill  as  a 
cook, — she  did  her  fixings  admirably ! 

During  dinner  I  had  ample  time  to  take  stock 
of  Doctor  Ephraim  Meadows.  His  face  would 
have  been  a  fortune  as  a  study  to  a  painter ;  his 
forehead  high  but  narrow,  his  eyebrows  thick, 
bushy,  and  overhanging;  his  hair  would  have 
joined  his  eyebrows,  had  not  a  narrow  line  of 
yellow  skin  formed  a  kind  of  boundary  between 
them.  Peering  out  from  beneath  his  shaggy 
hair  were  two  little  twinkling,  restless  grey  eyes, 
more  roguish  than  good-natured.  His  nose, 
crooked  and  sharp,  was  like  the  beak  of  a  buz- 
zard; with  thin  dry  lips  that  shut  in  a  straight 
line,  which  told  in  pretty  plain  language  he  coula 
be  resolute  and  rusty  if  need  be.  The  tip  of  his 
chin,  bent  up  in  an  easy  cui*ve,  was  covered  with 
a  yellowish  beard,  that  had  been  guiltless  of  comb 
or  shears  for  many  a  day.  His  nether  limbs  were 
clad  in  leather  never-mention-ums,  kept  up  by 
a  wide  belt,  from  which  dangled  a  six-shooter. 
A  red  shirt,  with  an  immense  collar  that  reached 
the  point  of  the  shoulders,  and  a  dirty  jean 
jacket  completed  his  costume. 

Our  meal  over,  we  started  out  to  see  the 
wonders  of  the  doctor's  establishment.  The 
house   or  hospital,   as  he  designated  it,  was  a 


THE   doctor's   bath   ESTABLISHMENT.  239 


I  the 
ks  a 


long  frame-building,  divided  into  numerous  small 
rooms,  all  opening  on  a  kind  of  platform  that 
extended  the  entire  length  of  the  building; 
and  sheltered  overhead  by  a  rough  kind  of 
verandah.  A  camp-bed,  wash-basin,  and  stool 
constituted  the  furniture  of  each  apartment. 
Four  sickly-looking  men  were  walking  feebly 
up  and  down  the  platform.  These,  the  Doctor 
assured  me,  were  giants  now  as  compared  to 
what  they  had  been  ere  they  stumbled  on  the 
Tuscan  Springs  and  his  water-cure. 

The  springs  are  about  ten  in  number,  but  not 
all  alike.  In  some  of  them,  the  water  rises  at 
a  temperature  near  to  boiling,  and  densely  im- 
pregnated with  sulphuretted  hydrogen-gas,  per- 
fectly poisoning  the  air  with  a  most  insufferable 
stench.  In  others,  again,  the  waters  bubble  up 
tepid,  but  bitter  and  saline.  From  two  of  them, 
that  widen  into  pools,  gas  (I  imagine  some  com- 
pound of  hydrogen)  rises  constantly  to  the  sur- 
face ;  and  when  I  applied  a  match  to  the  water,  a 
sudden  flash  lighted  up  the  pool  for  a  second  or 
two,  and  this  could  be  repeated  at  intervals  of 
three  or  four  minutes.  This  gas,  by  a  simple 
contrivance,  is  collected  and  conveyed  into  a 
small  shanty,  dignified  with  the  name  of  '  Steam 
Bath,*  the  gas  being  used  to   heat   the   water 


'J 


|! 


Hi' 
i.jijl 

'ii 


II        >9 


240 


MULE-HUNTING   EXPEDITION. 


from  one  of  the  springs  so  as  to  fill  a  small  room 
with  steam. 

It  is  one  of  the  most  singular  and  interesting 
places  I  have  ever  visited.  There  can  be  no 
doubt  that  the  springs  rise  from  the  crater  of 
an  extinct  volcano,  and  that  there  is  some  active 
volcanic  action  still  going  on  in  the  depths 
below.  Incrustations  of  various  salts  and  sul- 
phur covered  the  edges  of  the  pools  and  rocks 
over  which  the  water  runs.  The  water  they 
drink  has  to  be  brought  from  a  spring  the  other 
side  of  the  encircling  hills. 

Although  at  this  place  I  observed  more  direct 
evidence  of  some  great  internal  fire  or  subter- 
ranean laboratory,  in  which  Nature  is  ever  trans- 
forming the  elemental  forms  of  crude  matter  into 
available  materials  for  the  supply  of  organic  life ; 
still  throughout  Oregon  and  California  I  have 
constantly  come  across  similar  sulphurous  and 
saline  eruptions,  particularly  soda-water  springs, 
where  the  water  rises  through  the  earth,  tho- 
roughly impregnated  with  carbonic-acid  gas. 
At  Nappa,  not  far  from  San  Francisco,  native 
soda-water  is  collected  and  bottled  at  the  springs 
for  the  supply  of  the  San  Francisco  market. 
Olympian  nectar  was  never  more  grateful  to  the 


TAKING   A   BATH. 


241 


ings 


thirsty  gods,  than  is  this  soda-water  to  the  hot, 
parched,  and  thirsty  hunter ! 

The  Doctor  had  many  strange  and  wild  theories 
about  these  springs,  and  evidently  entertained 
a  lively  belief  in  their  close  proximity  to  his 
Satanic  Majesty's  kitchen. 

*  Cap'en,'  said  the  doctor,  'I  calkilate  you  ain't 
a-goin'  home  without  just  tryin'  a  bath?' 

I  at  first  declined.  I  did  not  feel  at  all  ill, 
and  as  I  bathed  every  day  grudged  the  trouble 
of  undressing.  It  was  of  no  use — the  Major 
joined  the  Doctor;  persuasion  failing,  mild  force 
was  hinted  at  if  I  did  not  comply.  I  was  led, 
or  rather  hustled,  into  the  bathing-house.  In 
one  corner  of  this  dismal-looking  shed  was  an 
immense  square  tray,  and  over  it  was  a  most 
suspicious-looking  contrivance,  like  the  rose  of  a 
giant's  watering-pot.  I  shuddered,  for  I  knew  I 
should  be  held  in  that  tray,  and  deluged  from 
the  terrible  nozzle. 

My  miseries  commenced  by  my  being  seized 
on  by  two  brawny  attendants  (the  bathers),  and 
literally  peeled  like  an  onion,  rather  than  un- 
dressed. This  completed,  a  small  door  that  I 
had  not  noticed  before  was  opened,  and  disclosed 
a  kind  of  cupboard,  about  six  feet  square.     X 

VOL.  I.  R 


242 


MULE-nUNTING   EXPEDITION. 


■Mr  I 


flap  of  board  was  raised  by  an  attendant,  and 
supported  by  a  bracket ;  a  contrivance  one  fre- 
quently sees  in  small  kitchens  to  economise  room. 
On  this  I  was  laid;  my  janitors  withdrew,  the 
door  slammed,  and  I  was  alone  in  the  dark. 

A  sudden  noise,  between  a  hiss  and  a  whistle, 
enlightened  me  as  to  the  fact,  that  sundry  jets  of 
steam  were  turned  on.  The  room  rapidly  filled, 
and  the  perspiration  soon  streamed  from  my  skin. 
At  first  I  fancied  it  rather  pleasant;  a  sort  of 
lazy  sleepy  feeling  came  over  me,  but  as  this 
passed  away  I  felt  faint  and  thirsty,  and  yelled 
to  be  let  out.  No  reply.  I  began  to  think  it 
anything  but  a  joke,  and  again  shouted :  not  a 
sound  but  the  hissing  steam. 

My  thirst  grew  insupportable;  it  seemed  as 
if  a  live  crab  was  gnawing  and  rending  my 
stomach  with  his  claws  and  nippers.  I  made 
several  attempts  to  get  off  the  table,  but  wher- 
ever I  put  my  leg  the  burning-hot  steam  came 
like  a  flame  against  it,  and  there  was  not  suffi- 
cient room  to  stand  betwixt  the  table  and  the 
partition  of  my  steam-prison.  I  called  louder 
and  louder;  my  reasoning  powers  were  growing 
feeble,  my  presence  of  romd  was  rapidly  aban- 
doning me,  and  a  thousand  wild  fancies  passed 
through  my  brain ;  I  had  given  up  all  hope,  when 


AN  UNPLEASANT  ADVENTURE. 


243 


I  saw  a  gleam  of  light.  I  have  a  vague  remem- 
brance of  being  dragged  out,  plunged  into  cold 
water,  and  savagely  rubbed  with  a  kind  of 
hempen  rasp. 

As  I  became  quite  conscious  of  what  was  going 
on,  I  was  partly  dressed,  and  lying  on  the  grass, 
the  Doctor  and  the  Major  standing  close  by, 
the  bathers  rubbing  my  hands  and  feet ;  whilst 
Aunty,  squatted  on  a  log,  was  holding  a  cuji 
containing  some  steaming  mixture. 

*  0  Doctor !'  I  said,  as  well  as  I  could  articu- 
late, '  a  little  more,  and  you  would  have  had  to 
bury  me ;  I  was  nearly  gone ! ' 

*  Waal,  Cap'en,  I  kind  of  guess  you  must  have 
had  a  near  shave  for  life,  but  it  warn't  meant  no- 
how. You  see  the  Major  and  me  just  strolled  up 
to  take  a  peep  at  the  mustangs,  and  the  damed 
brutes  stampeded,  breaking  clean  out  of  the 
"  corral,"  and  went  past  the  bath-house  like  mad. 
The  boys  see  'em,  and  hearin'  us  a-hoUerin*, 
made  tracks  right  after  'em,  and  never  thought 
about  your  bein'  a-steamin*.  Old  Aunty,  by 
sheer  luck,  heard  you  a-screamin'  and  a-snortin', 
and  it  mighty  nigh  skeert  the  old  woman  to 
death,  for  she  thought  "  Old  Hoof"  was  a-bilin' 
himself.  Up  she  came  a-tearin*  and  a-shriekin' 
that    somethin*    unearthly  was   in  the    steam- 


B  2 


244 


MULE-HUNTING  EXPEDITION. 


Mi^ 


111. 


■s     I 


room.  "  Thunder  and  grizzlys,"  says  the  Major, 
"the  boys  have  forgot  the  Cap*en,  and  gone  right 
after  the  mustangs ! "  You'd  better  believe  we 
soon  had  you  out,  and  you  ain't  none  the  worse 
for  it,  thank  Providence !' 

The  combined  powers  of  Aunty's  mixture  and 
the  Major's  whisky-flask  rapidly  restored  me. 
The  villanous  mustangs — the  cause  of  my  mis- 
hap— were  caught  and  saddled.  Danger  past 
is  lightly  thought  of,  and  we  enjoyed  a  hearty 
laugh  as  the  Major  quaintly  told  the  story  at 
the  Bluffs  of  the  Cap'en's  bath  at  the  Tuscan 
Springs. 


i   s 


I  • 


THE  STABT  FROM  RED  BLUFFS. 


245 


CHAPTER  X. 


THE  START  FROM  RED  BLLFFS — MISHAPS  BY  THE  WAY — DEVIL  3 
POCKET — ADVENTURE  AT  YREKA — FIELD-CRICKETS — THE  CALI- 
FORNIAN   QUAIL — SINGULAR   NESTING   OF   BULLOCk's  ORIOLE. 

April  28^A. — My  pack-train  is  completed,  my 
provisions  arranged  for  packing  on  the  mules. 
I  have  eighty-one  mules  and  a  bell-horse.  To 
manage  mules  without  a  horse  carrying  a  bell 
round  its  neck  is  perfectly  impossible.  The  bell- 
horse  is  always  ridden  ahead,  and  wherever  it  goes 
the  mules  follow  in  single  file.  (But  of  this  and 
packing  I  shall  have  more  to  say  further  on. ) 

April  29^A. — Sunday. 

April  30^A. — I  have  determined  to  find  my 
way  through  Oregon  by  an  unknown  route; 
doing  this,  I  shall  reach  the  Commission  at  least 
two  months  earlier  than  by  taking  the  ordinary 
mail-route  to  Portland. 

Again  and  again  I  am  warned  of  the  risk  not 
only  of  losing  my  mules  and  men,  but  my  own 
scalp  into  the  bargain.  The  country  swarms 
Avith  hostile  Indians,  many  large  streams  have  to 


246 


MULE-HUNTING   EXPEDITION. 


be  crossed,  the  trail  is  bad,  if  any ;  and  altogether 
the  prospect  is  anything  but  cheering.  I  have, 
however,  made  up  my  mind  to  go. 

The  annoyances  of  a  start  got  over — wild 
mules  reduced  to  a  state  of  discipline,  packs 
adjusted,  and  men  as  sober  as  could  reasonably 
be  expected — all  went  pleasant  as  a  marriage- 
bell  until  the  second  day,  when  my  first  mis- 
fortune happened. 

May  1st. — I  camp  on  a  beautiful  bit  of  ground, 
with  grass  in  abundance,  and  a  stream,  clear  as 
crystal  and  cold  as  ice,  rippling  past  close  to 
my  fire.  I  place  a  guard  over  my  mules, 
fearing  accidents;  and  choosing  as  level  a  spot 
as  I  can  see,  roll  myself  in  my  blanket,  and 
with  my  head  in  my  saddle  soon  slept. 

I  awoke  at  sun-up,  lit  my  pipe,  and  wandered 
off  to  see  what  had  become  of  my  mules.  I 
found  the  trusty  guard  sound  asleep,  coiled  up 
under  a  tree,  but  not  a  mule.  A  sharp  admo- 
nition, administered  through  the  medium  of  my 
foot,  soon  dispelled  his  dreams,  and  awoke  him  to 
a  lively  sense  of  reality.  He  rapidly  uncoiled, 
started  up,  stared  vacantly  around,  and  thus  re- 
lieved his  feelings : — 

'  I  guess  they're  gone,  Cap'en,  every  tarnation 
coon  of  'em,  right  slick  back  to  the  Blufi^s.' 


MAJOR   IIADDON  S   RANCH. 


247 


I  could  have  pistolled  the  rasciil  there  and 
then,  but  the  mules  had  to  be  recovered ;  so  I 
bottled  up  my  wrath,  roused  all  my  sleeping 
camp,  and  we  started  in  pursuit  of  the  missing 
culprits. 

May  Ath, — Three  days  have  elapsed.  I  have 
got  the  mules  together,  but  three  are  still  absent. 
Again  we  started.  I  made  a  long  march,  cross- 
ing Cottonwood  Creek,  through  Major  Ivaddon's 
ranch  —  one  of  the  finest  in  California  for 
grazing  —  struck  the  Upper  Sacramento,  and 
camped  about  sundown  or  a  creek  called  Still- 
water. 

May  5th. — In  the  night  it  came  on  a  deluge  of 
rain,  that  regularly  soaked  through  everything; 
but  it  cleared  towards  morning,  and  we  dried 
ourselves  in  the  sun  as  we  rode  along. 

The  next  three  days  we  travelled  through  a 
beautiful  parklike  country,  very  lightly  tim- 
bered, covered  with  grass,  and  thickly  dotted 
with  magnificent  ranches  (farms);  we  struck 
Pitt  river  on  the  fourth  day,  crossed  it  safely, 
swam  the  mules,  and  ferried  over  the  packs. 

May  dth. — Our  journey  for  the  first  twelve 
miles  lay  through  a  narrow  rocky  gorge— the 
trail ;  simply  a  ledge  of  rock,  barely  wide  enough 
for  a  mule  to  stand  upon.     Three  hundred  feet 


MULE- HUNTING   EXPEDITION. 


li 


'     '! 


below  rolled  the  river.  The  least  mistake — a 
single  false  step,  and  over  goes  mule  or  man, 
as  it  may  be,  and  you  see  the  last  of  him. 

Here  I  passed  a  most  curious  place  called  the 
Devil's  Pocket;  the  trail  winds  along  the  very 
edge,  and  you  peer  down  into  an  immense  hol- 
low kind  of  basin,  that  looks  as  if  it  had  once  been 
a  lake,  and  suddenly  dried  up.  The  hills  are 
lofty,  sharj)ly  pointed,  and  capped  with  snow. 

At  the  head  of  this  gorge  I,  for  the  first  time, 
saw  an  encampment  of  Digger  Indians,  and  a 
more  famished  picture  of  squalid  misery  can 
hardly  be  imagined.  Their  wretched  comfort- 
less huts  are  like  large  molehills;  there  is  a  pit 
sunk  in  the  ground,  and  a  framework  of  sticks, 
shaped  like  a  large  umbrella  arched,  over  it ;  old 
skins  and  pieces  of  bark  are  thrown  over  this 
frame,  and  the  whole  is  covered  with  earth.  The 
entrance  is  a  hole,  into  which  they  creep  like 
animals. 

Their  food  consists  principally  of  esculent  roots 
of  various  kinds,  which  they  dig  during  the 
summer  months,  and  dry  in  the  sun.  The  field- 
cricket  (Acheta  nigra)  they  also  dry  in  large 
quantities,  and  eat  them  just  as  we  do  shrimps. 
Bread  made  from  acom-flour  is  also  another  im- 
portant article  of  their  diet.     They  seldom  fish 


CniONY  OF   DOOTOWN. 


249 


or  hunt.  Their  arms  arc  bows  and  arrows  ;  their 
ch)thing,  both  male  and  female,  simply  a  bit  of 
skin  worn  like  an  apron ;  they  are  small  in 
stature ;  thin,  squalid,  dirty,  and  de^^raded  in 
appearance.  In  their  habits  little  better  than 
an  ourang-outang,  they  are  certainly  the  lowest 
type  of  savage  I  have  ever  seen. 

We  camped  in  the  evening  on  a  large  plain 
called  Big  Flat. 

May  IQth. — It  was  bitterly  cold  all  night,  and 
froze  sharply.  We  got  off  soon  after  sun-up, 
and  literally  crept  along  the  side  of  a  high  range 
of  mountains,  densely  wooded,  and  forming  one 
side  of  the  valley  of  the  Sacramento,  which  has 
dwindled  do^vn  into  a  mere  mountain-burn. 
Here  I  came  suddenly  on  a  little  colony  of 
miners,  engaged  in  gold-washing.  I  discovered 
the  place  was  named  Dogtown — the  entire  town 
consisting  of  a  store,  a  grogshop,  and  a  smithy. 
I  paid  twenty-five  cents  (a  shilling)  for  a  mere 
sip  of  the  vilest  poison  I  ever  tasted,  libel- 
lously  called  '  Fine  Old  Monongahela  Whisky.' 
About  six  miles  farther,  still  on  the  same  trail,  I 
came  to  another  gold -claim,  where  there  were  no 
houses  at  all,  called  Portuguese  Flat.  Passed 
through  some  thin  timber  ;  camped  on  a  lovely 
mountain-stream. 


n 


i    < 


I  ,1 


r  it! 


250 


MULE-IIUNTING    EXPEDITION. 


Mai/  11th. — Shotgun  Creek;  my  camp  is  on 
the  side  of  a  steep  mountain,  and,  about  a 
mile  farther  on,  is  another  stream,  Mary's  Creek. 
Camped  on  this  stream  was  a  small  pack-train, 
that  had  been  with  stores  to  some  mining-stxition. 
I  heard  wolves  barking  and  howling  all  night, 
and  twice  I  drove  them  out  of  my  camp  with  a 
lire-log.  The  next  morning,  as  I  passed  the 
camp  of  the  packers,  they  were  in  sad  grief.  The 
rascally  wolves  had  pulled  down  one  of  their 
mules,  and  torn  it  almost  to  pieces.  I  rode  up 
in  the  wood  to  see  its  mangled  remains.  The 
ravenous  beasts  must  have  fixed  on  its  haunches, 
and  ripped  it  up  whilst  it  lived.  I  was  sadly 
grieved  for  the  poor  beast  that  had  come  to  so 
untimely  an  end,  and  for  the  man  who  had  lost 
him — at  least  30/.  worth. 

For  two  more  days  I  followed  up  the  course  of 
the  S.'icramento,  and  crossed  it  for  the  last  time. 
Standing  at  the  ford,  and  looking  straight  up  the 
valley,  the  scenery  is  wild  and  beautiful  in  the 
extreme ;  on  either  side  sharp  pinnacle-like  rocks 
shoot  up  into  all  sorts  of  fantastic  shapes,  dotted 
with  the  sugar-pine,  scrub-oak,  and  manzanata 
in  front ;  and  blocking  up,  as  it  were,  the  end 
of  the  valley,  stood  Mount  Shasta,  at  this  time 
covered  to  its  base  with  snow.  n 


MOUNT   SHASTA. 


251 


This  vast  mountain  is  a  constant  landmark  to 
the  trappers,  for  it  can  be  seen  from  an  in- 
credible distance,  and  stands  completely  isolated 
in  the  midst  of  the  Shasia  plains.  I  camped  close 
to  the  very  snow  at  its  base,  in  a  little  dell  called 
'  Strawberry  Valley.'  The  next  day  reached  the 
Shasta  plains,  and  camped  early  in  the  day. 

May  15th As  I  was  to  bid  goodby  to  civilisa- 
tion, and  abandon  all  hopes  of  seeing  aught  but 
savages,  after  leaving  this  camp,  and  being  by  no 
means  sure  of  the  road,  I  made  up  my  mind  to 
lide  into  Yreka  and  obtain  information  about  the 
Indians,  and  the  state  of  the  trails,  and  also  (what 
was  of  equal  importance)  obtain  a  relay  of  provi- 
sions ;  the  distance  from  my  camp  to  the  city  was 
about  thirty  miles. 

Yreka  city  is  a  small  mining-station,  situated 
on  one  side  of  the  great  Shasta  plains ;  it  stands 
quite  away  from  law,  society,  and  civilisation, 
gold  being  the  magnet  that  attracts  first  the 
miner,  and  then  the  various  satellites  (jackals 
would  be  the  more  appropriate  name)  that  follow 
his  steps.  I  left  the  mules  in  charge  of  my 
packmaster,  and  started  at  sun-up.  The  ride  was 
a  most  desolate  affair,  over  an  interminable  sandy 
plain,  without  even  a  shrub  or  flower,  much  more 
a  tree,  to  break  the  monotony.     I  reached  Yreka 


!    1 


: 


'  * 


252 


MULE-HUNTING   EXPEDITION. 


about  ten,  and  put  up  at  the  'What  Cheer  House,' 
bespoke  my  bed,  and  ordered  breakfast.  The 
keen  iiiorning-air  and  a  thirty-mile  ride  had 
made  me  perfectly  ravenous,  and  I  waged  alarm- 
ing havoc  on  the  ham  and  eggs,  fixings,  and 
corn-dodgers,  that,  I  must  say,  were  admirable. 
O'he  tea  was  not  a  success,  being  a  remarkably 
mild  infusion,  very  hot,  and  sweetened  with 
bro^vn  sugar ;  but  it  washed  down  the  solids,  and 
the  finest  congou  could  not  have  done  more. 

Thus  recuperated,  I  started  off  to  call  on 
Judge ,  to  whom  I  had  a  letter  of  introduc- 
tion from  my  agents  in  San  Francisco.  It  did  not 
take  long  to  find  the  Judge's  quarters,  the  lanes, 
streets,  and  alleys  being  distinctions  without 
any  material  differences.  The  mansion  in  which 
his  judgeship  '  roomed '  was  a  small  shanty,  with 
a  porch  or  verandaii  round  it,  to  keep  off  the  sun 
when  it  happened  to  be  hot,  and  the  Avet  when  it 
rained.  I  knocked  with  my  knuckles — no  reply  ; 
tried  again — still  silence ;  resorted  to  the  handle 
of  my  hunting-knife,  anything  but  mildly — that 
did  it. 

'  I  raither  calkilate,  stranger,  you'd  better  jist 
open  that  door ;  /  ain't  agwine  to,  you  bet  your 
boots.' 

I  opened  it,  and  walked  in.     There  sat  Judge 


INTERVIEW  WITH  THE   JUDGE  OF  YREKA. 


253 


in  a  large  armchair,  cleverly  balanced  on 

the  two  hind-legs.  No,  it  was  not  sitting,  or 
lying,  or  standing,  or  lounging;  it  was  a  posture 
compounded  of  all  these  positions.    His  (I  mean 

Judge 's)  legs  were   extended  on   a   level 

with  his  nose,  and  rested  on  the  square  deal  table 
before  him.  He  was  smoking  an  immense  cigar, 
one  half  of  which  was  stowed  away  in  his  cheek, 
rolled  about,  and  chewed ;  whilst  the  other  half 
protruded  from  the  corner  of  his  mouth,  and 
reached  nearly  to  his  eye.  A  little  distance  from 
the  Judge  was  an  immense  spittoon,  like  a  young 
sponging-bath.  He  was  *  whittling  '  a  piece  of 
stick  with  a  pocket-knife,  and  looked  the  em- 
bodiment of  supreme  indifference.  The  chair 
he  occupied  and  the  table — whose  only  use,  as 
far  as  I  could  see,  was  to  rest  his  legs  on — con- 
stituted the  entire  furniture. 

The  Judge  himself  was  a  long  spare  man,  and 
gave  me  the  idea  of  an  individual  whose  great 
attribute  consisted  in  possessing  length  without 
breadth  or  thickness ;  everything  about  him  was 
suggestive  of  length.  Beginning  at  his  head,  his 
hair  was  long,  and  his  face  was  long,  and  his  nose 
was  long,  and  a  long  goatee-board  terminated  the 
end  of  nis  chin;  his  arm^-  were  long,  and  Iiis  legs 
were  long,  and  his  feet  were  long ;  he  had  a  long 


I    I 


254 


r 


MULE-HUNTING   EXPEDITION. 


» 


1 


i'^> 


li       l! 


ll 


lii; } 


drawling  utterance,  and  was  inordinately  long  at 
arriving  at  a  moderate  pitch  of  civility.  He  eyed 
me  over  and  drawled  out,  '  W-a-e-1 !'  I  handed  my 
letter,  and  quietly  awaited  its  effect ;  as  he  was 
long  in  eveiything  else,  he  was  long  in  opening 
it.  Having  made  a  minute  inspection  of  the  ex- 
terior, he  slowly  took  it  from  its  yellow  envelope, 
and  gradually  seemed  to  understand  from  its 
contents  that  he  was  to  be  civil. 

'  So  you  ain't  bin  long  in  these  parts,  Cap'en  ?' 
said  the  Judge,  without  in  the  smallest  degree 
shifting  his  position. 

I  said  I  was  quite  a  stranger,  and  should  be 
glad  if  he  would  give  me  some  information  about 
the  trails  and  the  Indians,  along  the  route  I  in- 
tended taking. 

*  Bars  and  steel  traps ! '  roared  the  Judge. 
'  You'll  have  your  har  ris,  sure  as  beaver  medi- 
cine !  Why,  thar  ain't  worse  redskins  in  all  Oregon 
than  the  Klamaths.  Jist  three  months  agone 
come  Friday,  the  dam'd  skunks  came  right  slick 
upon  Dick  Livingstone  and  his  gang.  You've 
heerd  of  Dick,  I  guess?'  (I  said  I  hod  not.) 
'  Wael,  most  people  has,  leastways.  They  was 
jist  a-washing  up  a  tall  day's  work,  up  Rogue 
river,  when  the  Klamaths  swarmed  'em  just 
as  thick  as  mosquitos  in  a  swamp.  Several  went 
under,  bet  your  life,   for   Dick   and   his   boys 


YREKA   CITY. 


255 


warn't  the  ones  to  cave  in.  But  'twarn't  no  use ; 
the  reds  jist  crowded  thcni  clean  down,  and  took 
the  har  off  everyone  of  'em.  The  trails,  too,  is 
awful  soft.  Mose  Hart  says — and  he's  now  from 
Bogus  Holler,  whar  you  have  to  go — that  a  mule 
is  jist  sure  to  mire  down  a'most  any  place.' 

'  Well,'  I  said,  '  your  news  is  not  by  an}' 
means  refreshing,  Judge ;  nevertheless,  I  mean 
going.' 

'  Wael,  Cap'en,  maybe  you  're  right ;  makin' 
back-tracks  ain't  good,  anyway ;  we  are  a  go- 
ahead  people,  we  are,  and  it  won't  pay  to  be 
skeerish,  anyway.  S'pose  we  go  and  take  a 
drink,  and  I'll  jist  put  you  through  the  city ;  T 
guess  I'm  well  posted  about  most  things  in  these 
diggins.' 

So  we  did  the  city,  which  did  not  take  very 
much  time  to  do ;  we  did  the  stores,  where 
every  person,  from  the  master  to  the  errand-boy, 
did  nothing  but  sit  on  the  counter  to  chew, 
whittle,  and  spit.  The  amount  of  whittling 
done  in  this  city  is  perfectly  astounding ;  every 
post  supporting  the  verandahs  outside  the  stores 
and  bar-rooms  was  whittled  nearly  through ; 
some  of  them  in  two  or  three  places.  We  did 
the  bar-rooms,  and  did  sundry  drinks  with  divers 
people.  I  purchased  provisions,  hired  a  guide, 
took  leave  of  the  Judge  (v;dio  was  not  half  a  bad 


'  I , 


'H    ! 


256 


MULE-HUNTING   EXPEDITION. 


fellow  when  you  understood  him),  and  retiring  to 
my  inn,  determined  to  enjoy  the  luxury  of  a  bed 
and  a  long  night-in,  having  slept  on  the  ground 
since  leaving  Red  Bluffs  ;  and  if  the  Judge  was 
right  about  the  redskins,  the  chances  were  con- 
siderably against  my  ever  stretching  my  limbs 
on  another.  So,  to  make  the  most  of  it — for  a 
start  at  sun-up  and  a  long  ride,  added  to  a 
tedious  day,  had  pretty  well  fagged  me — I  retired 
very  early,  and  turned  in. 

It  really  was  a  lovely  bed,  just  like  bathing  in 
feathers.  I  stretched  out  my  limbs  until  they 
fairly  cracked  again,  and  rolled  in  enjoyment. 
My  thoughts  were  soon  Avundering  ;  and  visions 
of  home,  mixed  up  with  mules  falling  over  pre- 
cipices, battles  with  Indians,  an  ugly  feeling 
round  the  top  of  my  head,  judges,  drinks,  row- 
dies, all  jumbled  together  in  a  ghostly  medley — 
floated  off  in  misty  indistinctness,  and  I  subsided 
into  the  land  of  dreams. 

I  awoke,  with  an  indistinct  idea  that  I  was  at 
a  ball,  with  ajiggy  kind  of  tunc  whirling  through 
my  brain.  Pish !  1  must  have  been  dreaming  ; 
so  1  turned  over,  and  tugged  the  blankets  more 
tightly  round  my  shoulders,  vexed  that  such  a 
stupid  dream  should  have  awoke  me.  Hark! 
what  on  earth  is  that  ?      '  Ladies  and  gents,  take 


agB 


THE   miners'   ball. 


•237 


lough 


your  places,  salute  your  partners,' — then  crash 
went  two  fiddles,  crowding  out  a  break-down. 
Airain  the  voice  — '  Halt*  r\<A\t  and  left'  —  and 
off  they  went.  The  sounds  of  countless  feet, 
scuftling  rapidly  over  a  floor,  told  me,  in  lan- 
guage not  to  be  mistaken,  that  a  ball  was  going 
briskly  on  very  near  my  head. 

I  sat  up,  rubbed  my  eyes,  took  a  long  mourn- 
ful yawn,  and  began  to  consider  what  had  best 
be  done.  I  discovered  that  a  thin  wooden  })ar- 
tition  only  intervened  betwixt  my  head  and  the 
ball-room;  everything  rattled  to  the  jigging  tune 
of  the  music  and  the  dancers;  the  windows,  the 
doors,  the  wash-crockery,  the  bed,  all  jigged;  and 
I  began  to  feel  myself  involuntarily  nodding  to 
the  same  measure,  and  jigging  mentally  like  the 
rest.  Shades  of  the  departed  !  I  could  not  stand 
this.  Goodby  bed,  and  feathers,  and  sleep!  I 
may  as  well  dance  in  reality  as  in  imagination  ; 
and  abandoning  all  my  anticipated  delights, 
dressed,  and  entered  the  ball-room. 

It  was  a  long  room,  lighted  with  candles  hiuy: 
against  the  wall  in  tin  sconces  ;  the  company — if 
variety  is  charming — was  perfect.  The  costumes, 
as  a  rule,  were  more  suggestive  of  ease  than 
elegance  ;  scarlet  shirts  and  buckskin  '  pants  ' 
v/ere  in  the  ascendant.      The  boots  as  a  rule, 

VOL.  I.  J^ 


258 


MULE-HUNTING   EXPEDITION. 


bc'iiif^  of  the  species  known  as  Wellingtons,  were 
worn  outside  the  trousers,  inducing  the  latter 
indiapensahles  to  assume  a  bunchiness  about  the 
knees,  not  calculated  to  display  the  symmetry 
of  the  leg  to  advantage.  Very  few  had  any 
jackets  on,  but  all,  without  exception,  carried  a 
bowie-knife  and  six-shooter  in  their  waistbelts. 
The  ladies'  costumes  were  equally  varied :  most  of 
them  wore  bright-coloured  muslins,  of  very  large 
patterns,  and  showy  waist- ribbons,  tied  ])ehind  in 
a  lai'ge  bow,  with  streamers  down  to  their  heels. 

The  dance  was  just  '  down  '  when  I  came  into 
the  room.  I  saw  a  few  citizens  I  had  met  in  the 
day,  but  each  one  seemed  to  have  his  'fancy 
gal,'  and  any  chance  of  getting  an  introduction 
was  a  vain  hope.  The  fashion,  I  discovered 
afterwards,  is  either  to  bring  or  meet  your  part- 
ner at  the  ball-room,  and  dance  with  her,  and 
her  only,  all  the  evening. 

A  waltz  was  called,  and  I  wanted  a  partner. 
Looking  round,  I  espied  a  lady  sitting  near  the 
end  of  the  room,  who  evidently  had  not  got  one. 
She  was  in  the  same  place  when  I  entered  the 
room,  and  it  was  clear  to  me,  by  her  unrumpled 
appearance,  that  she  had  not  danced  for  the 
evening.  '  Faint  heart  never  won  fair  lady  * 
might,  I  imagined,  apply  as  forcibly  to  dancing 


A   PARTNER   FOR   A   COIILLON. 


•250 


as  to  wooing  or  fighting;  if  I  am  snubbed  it  won't 
be  nil  the  world,  and  I  suppose  I  shall  live  it  down 
— so  here  goes!  Walking  boldly  up  to  her,  I 
asked  coolly,  but  rather  apologetically,  if  she 
would  try  a  waltz. 

*  Guess,  stranger,  I  ain't  a-fix'd  up  for  waltzin.' 

*  Perhaps,  madam,'  I  said,  'you  will  excuse 
me,  although  unknovn  to  you,  if  I  ask  you  to 
dance  the  next  cotillon  with  me?  ' 

Looking  into  my  face  with  an  expression  half 
doubt,  half  delight,  she  said :  '  Stranger,  I'll  have 
the  tallest  kind  of  i)leasure  in  puttin'  you  right 
slick  through  a  cotillon,  for  I've  sot  here,  like 
a  blue  chicken  on  a  pine-log,  till  I  was  like  to 
a-grow'd  to  the  seat.' 

This  satisfactorily  arranged,  I  sat  down  by  her 
side  until  the  waltz  finished,  to  have  a  good  look 
at  and  trot  out  my  new  inamorata.  She  was  a 
blonde  beauty,  ^vith  fair  hair  and  light-grey  eyes, 
that  flashed  and  twinkled  roguishly ;  and  robed  in 
some  white  mjiterial,  with  blue  ribbons  in  her 
hair  and  round  her  waist — a  mountain-sylph,  that 
any  wanderer  in  search  of  a  partner  would  have 
deemed  himself  lucky  to  have  stumbled  on. 
Our  conversation  was  rather  discursive,  until 
I  discovered  that  home-politics,  or  rather  the 
duties  and  requirements  of  a  gal  fhum,  was  a 

•  2 


'260 


MULE-IIUNTING   EXPEDITION. 


* 


■ill 


i  1 


ii 


never-failing  spring  from  which  to  draw  fresh 
draughts  of  household  knowledge.  At  last  the 
cotillon  was  called  ])y  the  master  of  the  cere- 
monies, and  again  I  heard — '  Take  your  i)laces, 
salute  your  partners;'  the  fiddles  started  the 
same  kind  of  jigging  tune,  and  away  we  went. 

A  cotillon  is  a  compound,  complicated  kind  of 
dance,  evidentl}'  constructed  from  the  elements 
and  fragments  of  many  other  dances :  a  good  deal 
of  quadrille,  a  strong  taste  of  lancers,  a  flavour 
of  polka  and  waltz — the  whole  highly  seasoned 
with  Indian  war-dance.  You  never  stand  still, 
neither  can  you  lounge  and  talk  soft  nothings 
to  your  partnei' — it  is  real,  bond  fide,  doAvnright, 
honest  dancing.  I  soon  discovered  why  the  men 
left  off  their  jackets :  a  trained  runner  could  not 
have  stood  it  in  clothing.  My  jacket  and  waist- 
coat soon  hung  on  a  peg,  and,  red-shirted  like  the 
rest,  I  footed  it  out  gallantly. 
..  My  partner  was  a  gem,  with  the  endurance  of 
a  ballet-girl  in  pantomime  time.  How  many  co- 
tillons we  got  through  I  never  clearly  remem- 
bered ;  but  we  danced  on,  till  the  grey  morning 
light,  stealing  in  through  the  windows,  warned 
the  revellers  that  Old  Sol  was  creeping  from 
behind  the  eastern  hills,  and  that  the  day,  with 
all  its  cares  and  toils,  was  near  at  hand  once  more. 


Ill ' 


THE   MOUNINO   AFTER   THE   DANCE. 


2G1 


My  fair  partner  positively  refused  to  allow  mc 
to  see  her  home.  Ik'ing  a  casual  acquaintance 
and  not  a  lover,  I  suppose,  of  course,  that  it  was 
liighly  proper  on  her  part.  I  thanked  her  sin- 
cerely, for  I  really  felt  grateful  to  her  for  en- 
abling me  to  dance  away  a  night  that  I  had  des- 
tined for  a  long  luxurious  repose.  With  a  hearty 
*  good-night'  we  parted,  never  to  meet  again. 

It  was  a  glorious  morning — the  air  cool  and 
fresh,  the  sky  unflecked  by  a  single  cloud.  The 
sun  was  just  tipping  the  hilltops  with  rosy  light, 
and  peeping  slily  into  the  valleys,  as  I  wandered 
out  to  think  over  my  strange  adventure.  My 
way  led  by  chance  up  the  back  of  the  street,  and 
out  by  a  little  stream  to  the  gold- washings. 
Early  as  it  was,  all  was  bustle  and  activity. 
Many  of  my  friends  of  the  ball  were  now  wrest- 
ing the  yellow  ore  from  its  hiding-places,  the 
anticipation  of  gold  dispelling  all  sense  of  fatigue. 
The  want  of  water  is  a  great  drawback  to  these 
dioforinijs.  So  valuable  is  it,  that  it  has  been 
bmught  by  a  small  canal  a  distance  of  thirty 
miles,  and  is  rented  by  the  miners  at  so  much  a 
cubic  foot. 

I  lingered  here  some  time,  for  there  is  much 
to  see,  then  turned  my  steps  towards  my  inn 
through  the  city. 


IMAGE  EVALUATION 
TEST  TARGET  (MT-3) 


1.0 


1.25 


ja  1^    12.2 


u  iij^ 


Hiotogr^hic 

Sdences 

Corporation 


23  WEST  MAIN  STREBT 

WEBSTER,  N.Y.  14S80 

(716)  872-4503 


iV 


\ 


^ 


•S5 


o^ 


262 


MULE-IIUNTING   EXPEDITION. 


*  Say — Cap'en — here — hold  on  ! ' 

I  turned,  and  saw  a  man  in  a  one-horse  dray, 
whipping  up  his  horse,  and  violently  gesticu- 
lating for  me  to  stop.  He  soon  came  up,  and 
jumping  out  of  the  dray,  seized  my  hand,  and 
shook  it  with  a  grip  that  made  my  very  eyes 
water. 

'  Guess  you  ain't  acquainted  "svith  this  child  ? ' 
I  said  no;   I  had  not  the  pleasure  of  knowing 
him.  . 

*  I  spotted  you,  Cap'en,  just  as  soon  as  ever  I 
seed  you  making  tracks  down  the  street.  My 
gal  Car'line  told  me  how  she  put  you  through  all 
the  dance  last  night.' 

It  suddenly  flashed  upon  me  that  the  dray- 
man was  my  partner's  papa.  Here's  a  lively 
affair !  If  he  does  not  ask  me  my  intentions,  and 
riddle  me  with  a  six-shooter  if  I  refuse  to  marry 
his  '  gal '  at  once,  I  shall  deem  myself  the  most 
fortunate  of  men.  I  civilly  said,  in  reply,  that  I 
found  his  daughter  a  most  admirable  partner. 

*I  rather  guess  you  did,  Cap'en;  she's  all 
watch-spring  and  whalebone,  she  is ;  can't  skeer 
up  a  smarter  gal  than  "  Car  "  in  these  parts,  if 
you  was  to  do  your  darndest.  She !  why,  she's 
worth  her  weight  in  nuggets  to  the  man  as  gets 
her.' 


Hi' 


GETTING  OUT  OF  A  FIX. 


263 


I  felt  cold  all  over — I  thought  it  was  cominfr. 
'  You  must  excuse  me,'  I  said ;  '  my  breakfast  is 
waiting,  and  I  daresay  we  shall  meet  again.*  (I 
knew  this  was  an  awful  twister.) 

'  I'm  sure  we  shall,  Cap'en.  Let's  licker :  *  so  we 
adjourned  to  the  nearest  bar-room  and  took  an 
'eye-opener,'  and  so  I  escaped  from  the  drayman. 
I  drew  a  deep  breath,  and  felt  as  if  I  had  got  clear 
from  the  claws  of  a  grisly  bear — made  for  the  inn 
as  fast  as  I  could,  gobbled  up  a  hasty  breakfast, 
packed  up  my  goods,  and  with  my  guide  started 
for  my  camp. 

Often  I  turned  and  gazed  anxiously  over  the 
plain,  expecting  I  should  see  the  drayman,  his 
daughter  Caroline,  and  a  priest  in  hot  pursuit; 
and  there  and  then,  on  the  Shasta  plains,  1  should 
be,  nolens  volens^  linked  to  my  fau'-haired  part- 
ner, for  a  life's  cotillon ! 

Such  was  my  first,  and  such  was  my  last,  my 
only  night  in  Yreka !  'xA^ll's  well  that  ends  well,' 
and  I  trust  the  fair  Caroline  has  as  pleasant  a 
remembrance  of  the  Cap'en  as  he  has  of  her ! 

I  found  my  camp  all  right,  saddled  up,  and 
am  off  on  my  perilous  journey  through  the  wilds 
of  Oregon.  The  Shasta  plains  are  vast  sandy 
flats,  half  prairie,  half  desert,  sparsely  covered 
with  withered  grass,  and  not  a  bush  or  tree  or 


264 


MULE-HUNTING   EXPEDITION. 


shrub,  as  far  as  the  eye  could  wander,  had  strug- 
gled into  life.  'Tis  true  a  stunted  ai'temisia,  or 
wild-sage  bush,  had  fought  its  way  inch  by  inch 
in  its  struggle  for  existence,  and  looked  so  old, 
dry,  and  parched,  that  your  idea  was,  if  you 
laid  a  finger  on  it,  it  would  powder  up  like 
dried  herbs;  but  whatever  had  been  in  shape 
of  grass,  or  herb,  or  shrub,  was  gone,  cleared 
bodily  and  entirely  away  by  the  field-crickets. 

Never  shall  I  forget  this  insect  array.  On 
getting  well  upon  the  plains,  I  found  every 
inch  of  ground  covered  with  field-crickets;  they 
were  as  thick  on  the  ground  as  ants  on  a  hill ;  the 
mules  could  not  tread  without  stepping  on  them ; 
not  an  atom  or  vestige  of  vegetation  remained, 
the  ground  as  clear  as  a  planed  floor.  It  was 
about  twenty  good  long  miles  to  the  next  water, 
and  straight  across  the  sand-plains,  and,  for  that 
entire  distance,  the  crickets  were  as  thick  as  ever. 
It  is  impossible  to  estimate  the  quantity ;  but 
when  you  suppose  a  space  of  ground  twenty-seven 
miles  long,  and  how  wide  I  know  not,  but  at  least 
twice  that,  covered  with  crickets  as  thick  as  they 
could  be  packed,  you  can  roughly  imagine  what 
they  would  have  looked  like  if  swept  into  a  heap. 

It  was  long  after  sundo'^^^l  when  we  reached 
the  water,  tired,  thirsty,  and  utterly  wor;i-out; 


REMEDY   AGAINST   FIELD-CRICKETS. 


265 


but  the  stream  being  wide  and  swift,  the  crickets 
had  not  crossed  it,  so  our  tired  animals  had  a 
good  supper,  and  we  a  comfortable  camp.  I  rode 
off  to  some  farm-enclosures  I  saw,  in  search  of 
milk  and  eggs;  and,  to  my  great  surprise,  I  no- 
ticed every  field  had  a  little  tin- fence  inside  the 
snake  or  rail  fence,  about  six  or  eight  inches 
■wide,  nailed  along  on  a  piece  of  lumber,  placed 
edgeways  in  the  ground,  so  that  a  good  wide 
ledge  of  tin  projected  towards  the  prairie. 

'  What,'  I  said  to  the  first  farmer  I  met, ' induces 
you  to  put  this  tin  affair  round  your  field  ? '     • 

'  Why,  stranger,  I  guess  you  ain't  a-travelled 
this  way  much,  or  you'd  be  pretty  tall  sure  that 
them  darned  blackshirts  out  on  the  prairie  would 
cat  a  boss  and  chase  the  rider.  But  for  that  bit  of 
a  tin-fixin'  thar,  they'd  mighty  soon  make  tracks 
for  my  field,  and  just  leave  her  clean  as  an 
axe-blade.  These  critters  come  about  once  in 
four  years,  and  a  mighty  tall  time  they  have 
when  they  do  come ! ' 

It  was  a  most  effectual  and  capital  contrivance 
to  keep  them  out,  for  if  they  came  underneath 
the  tin  they  jumped  up  against  it,  and  it  was 
too  wide  to  leap  over.  These  field-crickets 
(Acheta  nigra)  are  black,  and  very  much  larger 
than    the    ordinary    house -cricket.      They   eat 


JJ 


•266 


MULE-HUNTING   EXPEDITION. 


seeds,  grass,  fruit,  and,  when  they  can  get  no- 
thing else,  they  devour  each  other.  I  frequently 
got  off  my  horse  to  see  what  a  large  mob 
of  crickets  were  about.  They  had  dragged 
down,  perhaps,  two  or  three  others,  and  were 
one  and  all  deliberately  tearing  them  to 
pieces.  If  they  meet  head  to  head,  they  rush 
at  each  other  and  butt  like  rams,  but,  backing 
against  each  other,  they  lash  out  their  hind-legs 
and  kick  like  horses.  What  becomes  of  them 
when  they  die  I  cannot  imagine ;  the  entire  at- 
mosphere for  miles  must  become  pestilential.  I 
suppose,  from  their  coming  in  such  vast  numbers 
every  fourth  year,  that  the  larvaB  must  take  that 
time  ere  they  assume  the  perfect  shape. 

May  l^th. — The  Californian  quail,  which  I  found 
most  plentiful  along  the  course  of  the  Sacramento, 
ceases  at  the  edge  of  this  great  sandy  desert ;  it 
appears  to  be  the  limit  to  its  northern  range. 
I  note  a  singular  instance,  how  curiously  and 
readily  birds  alter  their  usual  habits  under  dif- 
ficulties, in  the  nesting  of  Bullock's  Oriole.  A 
solitary  oak  stood  by  the  little  patch  of  water,  a 
spring  that  oozed,  rather  than  bubbled,  through 
the  sandy  soil  where  my  camp  stood ;  it  was  the 
only  water  within  many  miles,  and  the  only  tree 
too;  every  available  branch  and  spray  had  one 


NESTS   OF   BULLOCK  S   ORIOLE. 


907 


and 
dif- 
A 


of  the  woven  nests  of  this  brilliant  bird  han^^iiifj 
from  it.  I  have  never  seen  them  colonise  else- 
where. The  nests  are  usually  some  distance 
from  each   other,   and   concealed  amidst  thick 


foliage. 


268 


MULE- HUNTING   EXPEDITION. 


in 


\' 


iii 


( 


CHAPTER  XL 

CROSSING     THE      KLAMATH     RIVER — HOW      TO      SWIM     MULES — 

SIS-KY-OUE    INDIANS — EMIGRANT   FORD TROUT   BALING  A 

BEAVER   TOWN — BREEDING-GROUNDS    OP    THE     PELICANS    AND 

VARIOUS  Water-birds — pursued    by    klamath  Indians — 

INTERVIEW  WITH  CHIEF — THE  DESERT»PRONG-HORNED  ANTE- 
LOPES  ACORNS  AND  WOODPECKERS — YELLOW-HEADED  BLACK- 
BIRDS— SNAKE  SCOUT — ARRIVAL  AT  CAMP  OP  COMMISSION — 
END   OP  JOURNAL. 

^fa^/  17  th. — Leave  this  sandy  waste,  cross  over 
a  low  divide,  and  descend  into  a  narrow  gulley, 
named  Bogus  Hollow.  Creep  along  between  high 
craggy  peaks  for  ten  miles  to  reach  the  Klamath 
river,  a  wide,  rapid  stream  that  I  have  to  cross, 
but  how,  just  now  is  a  puzzler.  The  banks  are  high ; 
not  a  tree  grows  along  its  sides,  or  near  by,  where- 
with to  make  either  canoe  or  raft.  I  follow  on  its 
course  for  eight  miles;  the  river  makes  a  sudden 
bend,  and  in  the  angle  on  the  opposite  side  I  can 
see  the  charred  remains  of  a  log-shanty,  amidst  a 
clump  of  trees,  one  of  which  has  been  felled  so  as 
to  fall  across  the  river,  and  forms  a  rude  foot- 


tl 
tl 


SWIMMING   MULES   ACROSS   STREAM. 


269 


bridge.  We  unpack  the  mules,  carry  all  the 
packing-gear  and  provisions  on  our  own  backs 
to  the  other  side,  an  operation  requiring  steady 
heads  and  sure  feet,  the  footway  a  single  tree, 
and  not  even  a  handrail  to  steady  the  crosser. 
All  safely  over,  and  no  mishap. 

The  next  operation  is  to  swim  the  mules,  a 
veiy  simple  process  if  properly  managed ;  a  risky 
and  dangerous  one  if  due  precautions  are  neg- 
lected. The  strength  of  the  current  must  be  esti- 
mated, so  that  the  mules  may  be  driven  up-stream 
far  enough,  to  ensure  their  not  being  washed 
farther  do"svn  the  opposite  side,  than  where  you 
are  desirous  they  should  land,  and  the  place 
selected  for  them  to  land  should  always  have  a 
shelving  shore.  Supposing  you  have  a  canoe,  the 
bell-horse,  deprived  of  his  bell,  is  towed  by  the 
canoe  across  the  stream ;  a  packer,  standing  in  the 
canoe,  keeps  ringing  the  bell  violently ;  the  mules, 
that  have  followed  their  leader  to  the  edge  of 
the  stream,  are  prevented  galloping  along  the 
river-bank  by  the  packers ;  at  last,  in  sheer  despair, 
they  dash  into  the  water  and  swim  towards  the 
clanging  bell;  nothing  can  be  seen  but  long  ears 
and  noses,  or  heard  save  the  tinkling  bell,  the 
splashing  water,  and  a  medley  of  snorts,  ranging 
from  a  shrill  whistle  to  a  sound  compounded  of 


270 


MULE-IIUNTING   KXPEDITION. 


iUi: 


il 


i^: 


Mi 


creak  and  groan,  gasped  from  the  older,  astlima- 
tical,  short-winded  mules.  If  we  have  no  canoe, 
the  bell-horse  is  ridden  into  the  water ;  when  the 
nder  feels  the  horse  begins  to  swim,  he  grasps  the 
mane  with  his  left  hand,  floats  from  oflf  the  horse's 
back,  swims  with  his  legs  as  in  ordinary  swimming, 
whilst  with  the  right  he  splashes  the  water  against 
the  horse's  face,  thus  keeping  the  animal's  head 
always  up-stream.  On  reaching  the  opposite 
side,  when  the  horse's  feet  touch  the  ground,  the 
man  again  drops  astride,  and  rides  it  out,  ring- 
ing the  all-potent  bell  with  all  his  might. 

I  learn  from  my  guide  that  a  settler  *  squatted* 
where  we  cross  about  a  year  before,  built  the 
shanty,  made  the  footbridge,  and  put  in  some 
gmin-crops ;  but  the  Indians  discovered,  killed, 
and  scalped  him,  burnt  his  shanty,  and  carried 
his  wife  away  prisoner — not  a  cheering  story, 
considering  I  am  going  through  their  very 
strongholds. 

May  l^th. — A  sharp  frosty  morning;  very  cold, 
sleeping  in  the  open  air.  Get  away  soon  after 
sun-up.  Leave  the  flat  grassy  valley,  and  ascend 
the  timbered  slopes  of  the  Sis-ky-oue  mountains. 
Follow  a  bad  Indian  trail,  through  barren  gorges, 
and  along  rocky  ledges,  for  twenty  miles ;  observe 
lots  of  deer-tracks,  but  no  deer.     Descend  the 


THE  emigrant's  ford. 


271 


northern  slope,  arrive  at  the  Eini<jfrant's  Ford,  and 
come  plump  upon  a  larp^e  encampment  of  Sis-ky- 
oue  Indians.  Fifteen  miles  to  the  next  water ;  the 
sun  rapidly  sinkin^^ ;  men  and  mules  tired.  At 
all  risks,  I  camp  near  the  redskins. 

The  Emigrant  Ford  is  a  wide  lake-like  expanse 
of  the  Klamath  river,  tliat  spreads  out  over  a 
level  plateau  on  emerging  from  a  basaltic  gorge, 
through  which  the  river  finds  its  way  for  some 
distance.  The  walls  of  rock  shuttin;]^  it  in  beino: 
deep  and  almost  vertical,  reaching  the  water  in 
the  canon  is  an  impossibility.  As  the  river 
widens  out  it  shallows  sufficiently  for  ox-teams 
and  waggons  to  get  through  it ;  and,  being  almost 
the  only  fordable  place,  was  always  chosen  by 
emigrant  trains  coming  to  Oregon  and  California. 

The  remains  of  half-burnt  waggons  and  human 
bones  still  bleaching  in  the  sun,  makes  one 
shudder  to  think  of  the  terrible  fate  of  the  weary 
wanderer,  cut  off  at  this  fatal  spot  by  the 
Indians.  Their  plan  was  to  remain  concealed 
until  the  trains  were  all  safely  through,  then  to 
swoop  down  upon  them,  while  scattered  and 
disordered  by  crossing,  cut  loose  the  oxen,  kill 
the  men,  carry  off  the  women  and  children,  if 
girls,  burn  the  waggons,  and  secure  all  that  suited 
them  in  the  shape  of  plunder. 


272 


MULE-IIUNTING   EXPEDITION. 


!| 


0 


1 


1 

{ 


:) 


( 


.\ 


The  Indians  near  my  camp  were  fishing  in 
a  small  mountain-stream,  if  baling  out  fish  l)y 
the  bucketful  could  ])e  called  fishing.  Round- 
fish  {Coregomis  quad  r  Hate  rails)  and  brook-trout 
(Fario  stellatus)  were  in  such  masses  (I  cannot 
find  a  better  word)  that  we  dipped  out,  with 
baskets  and  our  hands,  in  ten  minutes,  enough 
fish  to  fill  two  large  iron  piiils  that  we  carried 
with  us.  How  such  hosts  of  fish  obtain  food,  or 
where  they  find  room  to  deposit  their  ova,  are 
mysteries.  The  Indians  were  splitting  and  dry- 
ing them  in  the  sun  strung  on  long  peeled  rods. 
•May  Vdth. — Had  no  trouble  with  these  Indians. 
Hire  two  of  them  to  aid  me  in  again  crossing  the 
Klamath  river,  where  it  runs  from  the  upper  into 
the  lower  Klamath  lake.  For  the  first  four  miles 
we  ascend  a  steep  mountain,  rather  thickly  tim- 
bered. Killed  a  grey  deer,  and  saw  a  splendid 
herd  of  wapiti ;  but  the  bell  frightened  them,  so  I 
did  not  get  a  shot.  Cross  the  ridge,  and  descend 
on  an  open  grassy  flat,  surrounding  the  lower 
Klamath  lake,  which  I  should  say,  at  a  rough 
guess,  is  thirty  miles  in  circumference.  It  is  in 
reality  more  like  a  huge  swamp  than  a  lake; 
simply  patches  of  open  water,  peeping  out  from 
a  rank  growth  of  rushes  at  least  twelve  feet  in 
height. 

I  should  think  this  place  must  be  the  *  head 


BEAVER   SETTLEMENTS. 


978 


'  into 
tniles 
tim- 
mdid 
,  sol 
jcend 
ower 
ough 
is  in 
lake ; 
from 
et  in 

head 


centre'  of  the  entire  beaver  population  of  Oregon  ; 
in  some  of  the  patches  of  open  water,  there  cer- 
tainly was  not  room  to  jam  in  even  a  tiny  beaver 
cottage  of  the  humblest  pretensions,  although 
the  open  space  occupied  by  the  town  was  many 
acres  in  extent.  The  trees,  although  a  good  lialf- 
mile  from  the  water,  were  felled  in  all  directions, 
as  if  busy  emigrants  had  been  making  a  clearing. 
The  branches,  lopped  from  the  fallen  trees,  had 
been  dragged  by  these  busy  animals  along  the 
well-beaten  roads,  that  led  in  all  directions,  from 
the  timber  to  the  rushes,  through  which  roads 
were  also  cut,  to  gain  an  easy  access  to  the 
water. 

The  branches,  many  of  them  large  and  heavy, 
are  dragged  by  the  beavers — backing  along  the 
roads,  two  or  three  often  assisting  in  tugging  a 
single  branch — until  the  water  is  reached  ;  then 
they  seize  it  with  their  chisel-like  teeth,  and 
using  their  powerful  tails,  both  as  rudders  and 
screw-propellers,  float  it  out,  to  be  employed  in 
building  their  dome-shaped  residences.  But  of 
this  more  at  length,  when  referring  to  the  habits 
of  the  beaver. 

Wildfowl  too  are  here,  in  great  variety  and 
abundance.  For  the  first  time  I  see  the  breeding- 
ground  of  the  Rough -billed  Pelican  (Pelicamis 

VOL.  I.  T 


274 


MULE-HUNTING   EXPEDITION. 


ill 


^  i 


!ii 


!i 


Bi;ll  ) 


^ 


erythrorynchus).  Their  nests  were  on  the 
ground,  amidst  the  rushes,  but  unluckily  I  did 
not  succeed  in  finding  an  ^^g.  The  nest  is 
simj^ly  a  confused  heap  of  rushes,  with  a  lot  of 
down  and  feathers  in  the  centre.  On  the  water 
these  huge  birds  swim  as  easily,  buoyantly,  and 
gracefully  as  swans;  and  in  fishing,  do  not 
swoop  down  from  a  height,  as  does  the  brown 
pelican,  but  thrust  their  heads  under  water,  and 
regularly  spoon  up  small  fish  with  their  immense 
pouched  beaks. 

Where  could  one  find  a  more  enjoyable  sight, 
whether  viewed  with  the  eye  of  a  naturalist  or 
lover  of  the  picturesque  ?  Before  me  is  the  reedy 
swamp,  with  its  open  patches  of  water,  glittering 
like  miri'ors  in  the  bright  sunlight,  rippled  in  all 
directions  by  busy  beavers :  some  making  a  hasty 
retreat  to  their  castles,  others  swimming  craftily 
along,  crawl  on  to  the  domes  and  peep  at  the 
intruder.  Dozing  on  the  sandbanks  round  the 
margin  of  the  pools,  or  paddling  with  '  oary  feet* 
on  the  smooth  water,  are  numbers  of  snowy  peli- 
cans :  the  bright  orange  encircling  the  eyes,  and 
colouring  the  pouch,  legs,  and  feet,  looks  like 
flame,  contrasted  with  the  white  feathers,  so  inten- 
sified is  the  color  by  the  brilliancy  of  the  sun-rays. 
Pintails,  shovellers,  stockducks,  the  exquisitely 


SCENERY   OF   THE   SIS-KY-OUE   MOUNTAINS.      275 


coloured  cinnamon  teal,  the  noisy  bald-pate,  and  a 
host  of  others,  are  either  floating  on  the  water  or 
circling  round  in  pairs,  quacking  angry  remon- 
strances at  such  an  unjustifiable  prying  uito  their 
nuptial  haunts.  Overhead,  vicing  with  the  swal- 
lows in  rapidity  and  grace  of  flight,  countless 
Terns  (^Sterna  Fosteri)  whirl  in  mazy  circles :  their 
black  hcnds,  grey  and  white  liveries,  and  orange- 
yellow  beaks,  show  to  great  advantage  against  the 
sombre  green  of  the  swallows,  amid  which  they 
wing  their  way.  Behind  me,  and  far  to  the 
right,  the  Sis-ky-oue  Mountains,  in  many  a  rugged 
peak,  bound  the  sky-line,  their  slopes  descending 
in  an  unbroken  surface  of  pine-trees  to  the  grassy 
flats  at  their  base.  To  my  left,  the  river  that  feeds 
this  rushy  lake  winds  through  the  green  expanse, 
like  a  line  of  twisted  silver,  far  as  the  eye  can  scan 
its  course ;  along  its  bank  my  string  of  mules, 
in  dingy  file,  pace  slowly  on :  the  tinkle  of  the 
bell-horse,  but  faintly  audible,  bids  me  hasten 
after  them,  and  leave  a  scene  the  like  of  which 
I  shall  never  perhaps  gaze  on  again.  I  did  not 
see  any  nests  of  the  Tern,  although  I  have  but 
little  doubt  they  breed  about  these  lakes. 

Follow  the  stream  and  pass  a  second  kind  of 
rushy  lake,  not  nearly  so  large  as  the  one  behind, 
and  reach  the  southern  end  of  the  great  Klamath 

T  2 


27fl 


MULE- HUNTING   EXPEDII'ION. 


M 


i 


•  I 


lake,  out  of  which  pours  a  rapid  stream,  two 
hundred  yards  in  width,  and  very  deep ;  camp  on 
its  edge,  and  set  to  work  to  discover  some  means 
of  crossing. 

The  smoke  of  my  camp-fire  has  barely  reached 
above  the  trees,  when  Indians  are  seen  coming 
from  all  directions,  some  on  horseback,  others 
on  foot ;  and  canoes  in  fleets  dot  the  lake,  that 
stretches  away  until  lost  in  the  distance,  like  a 
fresh- water  ocean.  I  feel  very  uneasy.  The  two 
Sis-ky-oues  have  gone,  vanished  mysteriously. 
Hastily  collect  dry  wood  and  light  a  circle  of  fires, 
within  which  I  enclose  my  mules.  I  am  mobbed 
by  ugly  half-naked  demons,  who  are  evidently 
doubtful  whether  to  be  friends  or  foes.  By  aid 
of  my  guide,  I  manage  to  bargain  for  two  canoes. 

May  20th. — Never  laid  down  all  night.  Kept 
the  packers  guarding  my  mules,  stationing  a 
man  between  each  of  the  fires.  Indians  in  full 
force  at  sun-up.  In  two  hours  cross  all  my  stores 
in  the  canoes ;  swim  the  mules,  and  without  any 
accident  we  are  safely  over  the  river. 

This  tribe,  the  Klamath  Indians — the  chief 
of  whom,  Le-lake,  is  a  man  of  considerable 
influence — number  about  2,000,  and  own  large 
herds  of  horses  and  cattle.  They  are  nearly 
always   at   war,   and   are    the   terror  of   emi- 


THE   KLAMATH   INTJIANS. 


277 


chief 
trable 
I  large 
yearly 
emi- 


grants. The  men  are  well-grown  and  muscular; 
they  wear  little  more  than  the  breech-cloth,  and 
most  of  them  still  use  the  bow  and  arrow.  The 
squaws  are  short  in  comparison  "vvith  the  men, 
and  for  Indians  have  tolerably  regular  features. 
The  men  use  no  saddles,  and  a  strange  sight  it  is 
to  see  a  number  of  these  demons  nearly  naked, 
painted  from  their  heads  to  their  waists,  all 
colours  and  patterns,  skying  and  whirling  round 
upon  their  half- tamed  beasts,  yelling  and  shouting, 
with  no  apparent  object  that  I  could  discover 
but  that  of  exhibiting  themselves  and  trying  to 
frighten  me. 

The  morning  is  dark  and  cloudy,  with  a  sharp 
keen  wind.  Keep  close  to  the  shore  of  the  lake, 
which  for  the  first  fifteen  miles  is  shut  in  by 
high  mountains.  The  trail  winds  along  the  side  of 
this  mountain,  in  some  places  over  bare  rock,  at 
others  loose  rolling  stones  render  it  very  danger- 
ous and  difficult  to  get  over.  Emerging  on  an 
open  sandy  plain,  about  seven  miles  in  width,  we 
cross  it,  still  close  to  the  lake.  Then  hill  again,  but 
not  so  steep.  Reaching  an  open  prairie  covered 
with  grass,  camp  on  a  small  stream,  with  decent 
wood  on  its  banks.  During  the  whole  day  I  was 
beset  and  worried  by  Indians  riding  in  among  my 
mules,  galloping  forward,  then  back  again,  from 


I 

I 


278 


MULE-HUNTING   EXPEDITION. 


1 


tl 


one  end  of  the  train  to  the  other,  in  a  most  excited 
state. 

Immediately  on  camping  I  am  again  thronged, 
so  ride  on  to  see  the  chief  at  his  lodge,  about 
four  miles  from  camp;  having  first  enclosed 
ray  mules  in  a  ring  of  fires,  and  desired  my  men, 
in  case  I  do  not  return  in  two  hours,  to  abandon 
the  mules  and  escape  as  best  they  can.  I  find 
the  chief's  lodge,  in  the  centre  of  a  very  extensive 
Indian  village,  situated  on  the  bank  of  a  swift 
stream.  All  the  lodges  are  dome-shaped;  like 
beaver-houses,  an  arched  roof  covers  a  deep  pit 
sunk  in  the  ground,  the  entrance  to  which  is  a 
round  hole ;  through  it  I  descend  into  the  sable 
dignitary's  presence,  his  lodge  differing  from 
the  others  only  in  being  rather  larger,  and 
having  more  dogs  and  children  round  it. 

Face  to  face  I  stand  alone  with  the  dreaded 
chief — more  like  bearding  a  hog  in  its  stye  than 
the  Forest  Monarch,  or  the  Scottish  Douglas,  in 
his  stronghold.  On  a  few  filthy  skins  squats 
a  flabby,  red-eyed,  dirt-begrimed  savage,  his 
regal  robe  a  ragged  blanket  tied  round  his 
waist.  Sot  and  sensualist  are  legibly  written 
on  his  face,  and  greed,  cruelty,  and  cunning 
visible  in  every  twist  of  the  mouth  and  twinkle 
of  the   piglike   eyes.     My  heart   misgives   me 


i 


A   *WA-WA*   WITH   THE   KLAMATH   CHIEF.     279 


me 


when  I  think  my  men,  the  government  property, 
and  my  own  life,  are  entirely  in  the  hands  of 
this  degraded  beast. 

Addressing  him  in  Chinook,  which  he  for- 
tunately understood,  I  explained  what  my  mission 
was,  asked  him  what  he  meant  by  sending  armed 
braves  in  full  war-paint,  without  any  squaws, 
amongst  my  mules  and  men ;  that  I  was  a  '  King 
George's  '  chief,  and  what  was  more,  that  another 
and  a  much  greater  chief  was  awaiting  my  arrival 
on  the  banks  of  the  Columbia,  and  if  I  failed  to 
come  when  so  many  suns  had  set  over  the  hills, 
he  would  seek  me,  and  if  harm  had  befallen 
me,  would  surely  burn  up  all  the  lodges,  drive 
off  the  horses,  kill  the  braves,  and  perhaps  hang 
the  chief. 

Handing  me  the  all-potent  pipe,  he  replied — '  I 
am  your  brother ;  my  heart  is  good ;  my  people 
are  assembling  for  a  war-trail ;  I  mean  you  no 
harm.  Give  me  two  bags  of  flour,  to  pay  me 
for  the  grass  your  mules  eat.*  This  I  consent 
to,  bolt  through  the  hole  like  a  fox,  and  gallop 
with  all  speed  back  to  my  camp.  Not  one 
word  of  all  this  do  I  believe;  but  take  addi- 
tional precautions  to  guard  my  mules,  and 
quietly  await  the  tide  of  events.  About  dusk  the 
chief  arrives  in  full  war-paint,  which  consists  of 


280 


MULE-HUNTING   EXPEDITION. 


alternate  stripes  of  vemiilion  and  white,  arranged 
in  all  sorts  of  directions,  and  extending  from  his 
waist  to  his  hair.  We  smoked  together;  the 
pipe  passing  round  the  circle  of  '  braves '  (that 
might  have  been  more  justly  styled  *  ragged 
ruffians,'  if  they  had  worn  clothes),  the  chief's 
bodyguard. 

The  chief  of  course  wanted  everything  he  saw, 
as  a  present;  but  this,  at  all  hazards,  I  sternly 
refused.  Finding  nothing  more  was  to  be  obtained 
by  fair  means,  on  receiving  the  promised  payment, 
he  left  for  the  village. 

The  lake  near  which  I  am  camped  is  a  magni- 
ficent sheet  of  water,  forty  miles  in  length,  with 
an  average  breadth  of  fifteen,  shut  in  by  steep 
hills  not  very  heavily  timbered,  between  which 
are  fine  open  grassy  valleys.  Wildfowl  in  swarms 
dot  its  surface,  and  it  abounds  with  fish — so  the 
Indians  tell  me. 

May  2l6'< — Another  sleepless  night,  morning 
dark ;  a  cold  icy  wind  nearly  freezes  one's  blood ; 
start  as  soon  as  we  can  see.  The  chief  tells  me  I 
can  ford  the  stream  near  his  lodge,  but,  doubtful 
of  its  truth,  canter  on  ahead  of  the  mules,  and  try 
it.  Just  as  I  thought,  deep  water ;  a  ruse  to  get 
my  mules  swimming,  and  when  scattered,  to 
pounce  upon  and  steal  them. 


TIMELY  DISCOVERY   OF   A   FORD. 


281 


Ride  back  towards  my  train,  puzzled  what 
course  to  pursue.  An  Indian  gallops  from  amidst 
the  trees,  chasing  two  horses  ■with  a  lasso, 
catches  one,  arid  proceeds  rapidly  down-stream. 
I  follow  quietly,  about  a  half-mile ;  then  he  ride;^ 
into  the  river,  and,  without  wetting  his  horse's 
sides,  gets  on  the  other  side. 

This  is  a  grand  discovery.  Gallop  to  my  train. 
Ride  in  triumph  through  the  ford,  followed  by  the 
bell-horse  and  mules,  and  bow  impudently  to  the 
flabby  old  deceiver,  staring  at  me  wondei'ingly 
as  I  pass  up  the  opposite  side  of  the  stream. 

Without  stopping  to  rest,  I  push  on  over  a 
swampy  country,  with  little  clumps  of  alder  and 
cotton-wood-trees,  like  islands,  here  and  there,  for 
twenty 'four  miles;  keep  as  close  as  possible  to 


the  edge  of  the  river. 


until  we  reach  a  large 


morass,  from  which  it  heads.  Here  I  camp. 
Although  I  have  not  seen  the  trace  of  an  Indian 
since  leaving  the  village,  still  I  feel  sure  they  will 
follow  up  my  trail. 

Light  fires  as  usual,  and  keep  strict  watch  over 
the  wearied  and  hungry  mules.  The  men  are 
tired  and  sleepy;  but,  jaded  as  I  am  in  mind  and 
body,  contrive  to  keep  them  up  to  their  sentr}^- 
duty.    They  get  an  alternate  sleep — I  get  none. 

May  22nd. — Passed  a  miserably  cold  night. 


1 1 


282 


MULE-HUNTING   EXPEDITION. 


• 


Blowing  nearly  a  gale  of  wind.  Found  all  right 
in  the  morning.  At  daybreak  get  the  mules  toge- 
ther, and  begin  saddling.  Two  mules  managed 
to  slip  off  about  fifty  yards  from  us,  when  a 
sudden  yell  told  me  they  were  gone.  The  Indians 
had  followed,  and  been  concealed  close  to  me 
in  the  bush  all  night,  afraid  to  make  an  attack, 
but  waiting  a  chance  to  stampede  the  band; 
this,  from  my  having  lighted  fires,  and  kept 
watch,  they  were  prevented  from  doing ;  however, 
they  made  good  the  two  that  strayed.  I  started 
after  them,  but  deemed  it  prudent  not  to  go  too 
far.  They  also  managed  to  steal  a  coat  from  my 
packmaster,  with  .^100  in  the  pocket. 

From  the  high  water  the  trail  through  the 
swamp  is  impassable,  so  I  have  to  go  round  it, 
keeping  along  on  the  small  ridges,  where  birch 
and  alder  grow;  continuing  this  for  about  eighteen 
miles,  and  crossing  several  deep  creeks  and 
swamps,  through  which  the  poor  mules  are  liter- 
ally dragged,  get  on  to  higher  and  comparatively 
dry  land,  two  miles  of  which  brings  me  to  the 
entrance  of  what  my  guide  calls  the  desert.  The 
distance  across  it,  he  says,  is  forty  miles,  with  but 
one  chance  of  water.  Into  this  barren  waste  I  did 
not  think  the  Indians  would  follow,  so  make  up  my 
mind  to  push  on,  although  my  men  and  mules  are 


THE   PRONG-BUCK. 


283 


fearfully  fagged.  I  thought  the  Indians  intended 
to  pursue  us  to  the  edge  of  this  wilderness,  and 
when  off  our  guard,  worn-out  fo;*  want  of  sleep, 
killing  us,  and  driving  off  the  band  of  mules. 

I  am  in  the  very  paradise  of  the  prong-buck 
(Antilocapra  Americana  ) .  In  bands  of  twenty  or 
thirty  they  gallop  close  up  to  the  mules,  halt,  have 
a  good  look,  and  suddenly  scent  danger ;  the  lead- 
ing bucks  give  a  loud  whistling  snort,  then  away 
they  all  scamper,  and  rapidly  disappear.  We 
shot  as  many  as  we  needed,  but  at  this  time  the 
does  we  killed  were  heavy  in  fawn. 

The  size  of  the  prong-buck,  when  fully  grown, 
is  somewhat  larger  than  the  domestic  sheep ; 
but  its  legs,  being  proportionably  much  longer, 
give  it  a  greater  altitude.  The  neck  is  also 
of  greater  length,  and  the  head  carried  more 
erect.  The  hind-legs  are  longer  than  the  fore 
ones;  a  wise  provision,  not  only  tending  to 
give  additional  fleetness,  but  materially  assisting 
it  in  climbing  steep  precipices  and  rocky  crags, 
up  and  down  which  it  bounds  with  astonishing 
speed  and  security. 

The  back  is  a  pale  dun  colour ;  a  transverse 
stripe  between  the  eyes  ;  the  lip,  and  each  side  the 
muzzle,  and  a  spot  beneath  the  ear,  dark  reddish- 
brown  ;  the  entire  underparts,  the  edges  of  the 


S84 


MULE-nUNTiNG  EXPEDITION. 


lips,  a  large  and  most  conspicuous  patch  on  either 
side  the  tail,  pure  white.  The  white  meeting 
the  brown  of  the  back  about  midway  on  the 
sides,  forms  a  well-defined  waving  line.  Horns, 
hoofs,  and  nose  black.  The  horns  (so  marked 
a  feature  in  the  pronj-buck)  are  placed  very  far 
back,  and  much  compressed  in  a  lateral  direction 
to  about  a  third  of  their  height,  where  they  give 
out  a  thin  triangular  bracket- shaped  prong,  pro- 
jecting upwards  and  forwards.  Above  this  snag, 
the  horns  have  a  shiny  surface,  are  rounded,  and 
taper  gradually  to  a  sharp  tip,  bent  into  a  hook. 
The  horns  vary  greatly  in  the  males.  1  have 
sometimes  shot  them  with  the  prong  hardly 
developed,  sometimes  springing  from  the  horn 
near  the  tip,  and  in  others  growing  close  to 
the  head,  where  it  is  always  uneven  and  warty. 
The  female  is  devoid  of  horns,  or  only  has  them 
in  a  rudimentary  condition. 

The  eyes  of  the  prong-buck  are  black,  large, 
and  expressive,  but  not  a  trace  exists  of  a  lar- 
mier or  crumen,  a  glandular  opening  beneath 
the  eyes,  so  conspicuous  in  the  generality  of  deer. 
The  hoofs  are  narrow  and  acute,  but  no  trace 
exists  of  the  supplementary  hoofs  usually  found  in 
all  ruminants,  situated  just  above  the  pasterns,  at 
the  back  of  the  legs.     The  ears  are  very  long,  and 


THE   PRONG-BUCK. 


285 


,rge, 
lar- 
eath 
leer, 
irace 
id  in 
IS,  at 
and 


well  adapted  to  catch  the  faintest  sound.  The 
hair  is  coarse,  crimped  or  wavy;  growing  in  a 
tuft  on  the  forehead,  and  during  summer  in  a 
mane  on  the  neck  and  back  of  the  mule. 

About  the  posterior  third  of  the  back  is  an 
opening  like  the  tear-gland  in  the  face  of  a  deer, 
from  which  a  musky-smelling  secretion  continu- 
ally oozes.  The  animal  has  also  the  power  of 
erecting  the  hair  of  the  white  patches  on  its  rump, 
as  a  peacock  spreads  its  tail,  or  a  wolf  bristles  its 
back.  This  power  of  elevating,  or  apparently 
puffing-outjthese  snowy  markings,  adds  immensely 
to  the  general  beauty  of  the  prong-buck.  When 
wooing,  or  striving  to  make  the  most  favourable 
impression  on  his  harem  of  does,  or  when  in 
defence  of  his  wives  he  rushes  at  some  intrusive 
rival,  the  snowy  round  patches  are  *  ruffed'  to 
treble  their  natural  size. 

The  geogi'aphical  distribution  of  the  prong- 
buck  is  rather  extensive.  North  it  is  found  as 
far  as  the  northern  branches  of  the  Saskatchewan, 
53°  N.  lat.  It  ranges  over  all  the  plains  from  the 
Missouri  to  the  eastern  slopes  of  the  Rocky  Moun- 
tains ;  southerly  into  Mexico,  as  far  as  the  mouth 
of  the  Rio  Grande ;  through  Oregon  and  Cali- 
fornia, and  into  Washington  Territory,  along  the 
banks  of  the  Columbia,  to  the  Spokan  river. 


'i86 


MULE-HUNTINO   EXPEDITION. 


Thoir  favourite  haunts  appear  to  be  the  grassy 
prairies,  that  extend  liundretls  of  miles  without 
a  break  througli  Texas  and  Oregon,  dotted 
everywhc'io  with  small  patches  of  timber.  As 
the  eye  wanders  over  the  Mmitless  tract  of 
prairie,  these  small  isolated  belts  and  clumps 
of  trees  exactly  resemble  beautifully-wooded 
islands,  studding  a  sea  of  waving  grass.  Here 
the  prong-buck  wanders  in  herds  of  from  sixty 
to  seventy ;  naturally  shy,  approaching  them 
is  not  by  any  means  an  easy  matter;  on  the 
least  alarm  the  males  give  the  shrill  whistling 
snort,  toss  their  graceful  heads,  shifF  .the  air, 
stamp  with  their  forefeet,  then  bound  away  like 
the  wind ;  the  herd  circle  round  at  first,  then 
wheel  up  again  in  tolerable  line,  have  another 
look,  and,  if  apprehensive  of  danger,  dash  off, 
and  seldom  stop  until  safe  from  all  risk  of  harm. 

There  are  two  methods  of  hunting  them  prac- 
tised by  the  Indians,  on  horseback  and  on  foot.  If 
the  former,  three  or  four  mounted  savages,  armed 
with  bows,  arrows,  and  lassos,  approach  from 
different  points,  so  as  to  get  a  herd  of  antelopes 
between  them  on  the  open  pmirie.  They  then 
ride  slowly  round  and  round  the  herd,  each 
time  diminishing  the  circle:  the  terror-stricken 
beasts  huddle   closer  and   closer  together,  and 


HUNTING   THE   PRONG-BUCK. 


287 


appear  pci*foctly  bewildered.  When,  by  this 
mrtnoeuvre,  tlie  Indians  have  approaehed  suffi- 
ciently near,  oiuh  throws  his  unerrin*^  lasso,  then 
bli<y<)ts  arrows  at  the  flying  herd.  As  many  as 
six  are  often  killed  ond  caught  at  one  circling. 

On  foot  the  crafty  savage,  getting  the  wind  of 
the  herd,  crawls  ulong  the  grass,  and  every  now 
and  then  lies  on  his  l)ack,  and  elevates  his  two 
legs  into  the  air.  Attached  to  the  heel  of  each 
mocassin  is  a  strip  of  ermine-skin,  which  floats 
like  a  pennant.  The  antelopes  soon  notice  it, 
stand,  and  look ;  down  go  the  heels,  and  on  the 
Indian  crawls ;  and  if  the  herd  does  not  come 
towards  him,  he  gets  a  little  nearer.  In  a  short 
time  their  curiosity  tempts  them  to  approach 
slowly  and  cautiously  towards  the  two  feet, 
which  are  performing  every  variety  of  strange 
evolution.  Near  enough,  they  too  soon  discover 
their  error ;  the  twang  of  the  string  and  whistling 
arrow,  that  goes  up  to  the  feather-end  in  the 
chest  of  the  foremost  male,  warns  the  others  to 
fly,  and  leave  their  leader  and  king  a  prey  to  the 
wily  redskin. 

We  are  on  the  sandy  waste,  and  right  well 
does  it  merit  its  name  desert,  for  a  more  dismal 
barren  wilderness  cannot  be  imagined ;  its  surface 
is  all  pumice  and  cinders,  with  nothing  growing 


288 


MULE-HUNTING   EXPEDITION. 


I 


on  it  but  a  few  sage-bushes  and  dwarfed  junipers. 
Every  step  the  animals  make  is  fetlock-deep ;  and 
dust,  that  nearly  chokes  and  blinds  us,  comes 
from  every  direction.  On,  and  on,  and  on  we 
gof  but  no  change,  no  hope  of  water. 

Just  before  dark — when  I  begin  to  think  I 
have  been  guilty  of  an  awful  mistake,  and 
brought  needless  misery  on  both  men  and 
animals — I  push  ahead  of  the  train,  in  hope  of 
finding  water,  for  the  guide  is  utterly  lost. 
Suddenly  I  desciy  the  tracks  of  the  prong-buck 
in  the  sand ;  hope  revives,  water  must  be  near  at 
hand!  Carefully  I  follow  on  their  tracks,  that 
lead  down  a  sloping  bank  of  scoria,  and  slags  of 
lava,  through  a  narrow  gorge,  with  rocks  on 
either  side  that  look  as  if  they  had  been  burnt  in 
a  limekiln — to  come  out  into  a  narrow  valley, 
where  the  sight  of  trees,  grass,  and  water  makes 
my  heart  leap  with  delight. 

Back  I  spur  to  meet  the  lagging  train,  toiling 
on,  parched  with  thirst,  blinded  with  dust ;  hun- 
gry, weary,  and  exhausted.  I  guide  them  to  the 
valley,  and  at  the  sight  of  water,  men  and  mules 
seem  to  gain  new  life,  rush  wildly  towards  it, 
plunge  in,  and  drink  as  only  the  thirst -famished 
can.  Unsaddle  and  let  the  mules  feed  for  two 
hours,  then  light  five  fires,  and  keep  them  closely 


ai 
st 


S 


THE    CALIFORNIAN   WOODPECKER. 


289 


herded,  although  I  have  but  very  little  dread  ot 
farther  pursuit.  Supped  on  grilled  antelope,  and 
got  a  few  hours'  sleep. 

May  2Srd. — All  safe ;  no  sign  of  being  followed. 
Off  at  dawn ;  fifteen  miles  more  of  this  horrid 
waste,  and  we  begin  ascending  a  ridge  of  moun- 
tains, which  I  find  is  the  watershed  of  the  streams 
flowing  into  the  Columbia  on  one  side  and  into 
the  Klamath  river  on  the  other;  strike  the  head- 
waters of  the  Des  Chutes  or  Fall  river,  and  camp 
in  a  fine  grassy  prairie  belted  with  pine — the 
Pinus  ponderosa.  Here  I  determine  to  remain  two 
days,  to  allow  resting- time  for  men  and  animals. 

May  25th. — All  wonderfully  recruited;  rest 
and  good  feeding  soon  repair  a  healthy  body,  be  it 
man's  or  quadruped's.  I  stroll  off  with  my  gun, 
and  observe  that  numbers  of  the  pine-trees  are 
completely  studded  with  acorns,  just  as  nails 
with  large  heads  were  driven  into  doors  in  olden 
days.  I  had  seen  a  piece  of  the  bark  filled  with 
acorns  in  San  Francisco,  and  was  there  informed 
it  was  the  work  of  a  woodpecker,  but,  to  tell  the 
truth,  ti'iought  I  was  being  hoaxed ;  but  here  I 
am  in  the  midst  of  dozens  of  trees,  with  acorns 
sticking  out  all  over  their  trunks ;  it  is  no  hoax, 
for  I  saw  the  birds  that  did  it,  and  shot  two  of 
them.     This   singular  acorn-storer  is  the  Cali- 

VOL.  I.  u 


i 


I 


!l 


290 


MULE-HUNTING  EXPEDITION. 


fomian  woodpecker  (Melanerpes  formicivorus)^ 
evidently  of  veiy  social  habits.  They  assemble 
in  small  flocks,  climbing  rapidly  along  the  rough 
bark  of  the  pitch-pine,  rapping  here  and  there, 
with  their  wedgelike  beaks,  to  scare  some  drowsy 
insect ;  inducing  it  to  rush  out,  to  be  nipped,  or 
si^eared,  with  the  barbed  tongue,  ere  half-awake ; 
others,  sitting  on  ihe  topmost  branches  of  the  oaks 
and  pines,  continually  darted  off  after  some  fugi- 
tive moth  or  other  winged  insect,  capturing  it 
much  in  the  fashion  of  the  flycatchers.  The  harsh 
and  discordant  voice  is  made  up  for  in  beauty  of 
plumage.  A  tuft  of  scarlet  feathers  crowns  the 
head,  and  contrasts  brilliantly  with  the  glossy 
bottle-green  of  the  back  and  neck  ;  a  white  patch 
on  the  forehead  joins,  by  a  narrow  isthmus  of 
white,  with  a  necklet  of  golden-yellow ;  the  throat 
is  dark-green,  and  the  under-parts  of  a  pure  white. 
As  I  look  over  these  stores  of  acorns,  I  am  at 
a  loss  to  think  for  what  purpose  the  birds  place 
them  in  the  holes.  In  Cassin's  *  Birds  of  America  * 
he  quotes  from  Dr.  Heerman  and  Mr.  Kelly's 
'  Excursions  in  California. '  Both  writers  positively 
state  that  these  birds  stow  away  acorns  for  winter 
provisions,  and  the  latter  that  he  has  seen  them 
doing  it :  'I  have  frequently  paused  from  my 
chopping  to  watch  them  with  the  acorns  in  their 


A   DOUBTFUL    QUESTION. 


291 


is), 

ible 

ugh 

ere, 

wsy 

1,  or 

ake ; 

oaks 

fugi- 

ig  it 

larsh 

ityof 

IS  the 

flossy 

patch 

lus  of 
hroat 
hite. 
am  at 
place 

terica  * 
:elly's 
itively 
rinter 
them 
^m  my 
their 


bills,  and  have  admired  the  adroitness  with  which 
they  tried  it  at  different  holes,  until  they  found 
one  of  its  exact  calibre.' 

I  have  seen  the  acorns  in  the  holes,  and  the 
birds  that  are  said  to  put  tliem  there,  and 
have  no  right  to  doubt  the  statements  of  other 
observers;  but  it  seems  strange  to  me,  that  I 
cannot  find  a  single  acorn  exhibiting  any  evi- 
dence of  being  eaten  during  the  winter.  These 
were  stored  on  the  previous  fall ;  winter  has 
passed  away,  and  yet  not  a  seed  has  been  eaten, 
as  far  as  I  can  see.  I  opened  the  stomachs  of 
the  two  birds  I  shot,  but  not  a  trace  of  vegetable 
matter  was  in  either  of  them.  Subsequently  I 
killed  and  examined  the  stomachs  of  a  great  many 
specimens,  but  never  detected  anything  save  in- 
sect remains. 

Does  this  woodpecker  ever  eat  acorns  ?  I  think 
not.  More  than  this,  when  the  insects  die,  or  go 
to  sleep  during  the  cold,  snowy,  biting  winter 
months,  the  woodpeckers,  like  all  other  sensible 
bu'ds,  go  southwards,  and  have  no  need  to  store 
up  a  winter  supply,  as  do  quasi-hybernating 
mammals.  Then  it  occurred  to  me,  that  if  they 
really  do  take  the  trouble  to  bore  holes,  a  work 
of  great  time  and  labour,  and  into  every  hole 
carefully  drive  a  sound  acorn  that  they  never 

u2 


292 


MULE- HUNTING   EXPEDITION. 


make  any  use  of,  it  is  simply  idle  industry.  As 
a  rule,  birds  are  not  such  thriftless  creatures.  I 
had  no  opportunity  of  watching  the  birds  in  acom- 
time — hence  this  storing  is  still  to  me  a  mystery 
that  needs  further  explanation. 

I  came  suddenly  on  a  flock  of  yellow-headed 
blackbirds  (Xanthocephalus  icterocephalus),  sit- 
ting on  a  clump  of  bushes  skirting  a  small  pool. 
As  they  sit  amidst  the  bright-green  foliage,  they 
remind  me  of  blossoms;  the  intense  black  of 
the  body-plumage  shows  out  so  conspicuously 
against  the  orangelike  yellow  of  the  head,  that 
the  colours  seem  too  defined  for  a  bird's  livery, 
and  more  like  the  freaks  of  colouring  Nature 
indulges  in  when  tinting  orchideous  flowers. 
I  imagine  this  to  be  their  utmost  range  north- 
wards, for  I  never  saw  them  after,  although  they 
are  frequent  visitors  to  Texas,  Illinois,  and 
Mexico.  Strike  the  trail  of  a  grizzly,  follow  it 
for  some  distance,  but  fail  in  coming  up  with 
my  large-clawed  friend. 

May  2Qth, — I  find  I  shall  have  to  ferry  the  Des 
Chutes  river.  Send  on  four  of  my  men  ahead, 
to  collect  timber  for  a  raft.  Find,  on  arriving  at 
the  river-bank,  that  a  heap  of  dry  timber  has 
been  collected.  With  axes  and  an  augur — and 
here  let  me  advise  all  who  travel  with  pack- 


LAUNCHING    A    RAFT. 


293 


horses  or  mules  never  to  go  without  a  three-inch 
augur — we  soon  build  a  raft  12  feet  long  by 
G^  feet  wide ;  the  timber  is  fastened  together  with 
wooden  trenails. 

The  stream  makes  a  bend  at  this  spot,  and  does 
not  run  quite  so  swiftly,  about  eighty  yards  wide, 
with  a  dry  bank  on  the  side  we  are,  but  swampy 
on  the  opposite.  We  launch  our  raft ;  she  floats 
like  a  boat,  make  ropes  fast  to  her,  and  stow  a 
coil  on  board ;  with  one  man  I  commence 
crossing,  paddling  with  rough  oars  hewn  from 
a  pine-branch.  They  pay-out  rope  as  we  near 
the  opposite  bank;  tmce  we  whirl  round,  and 
come  very  near  being  a  wreck,  but  right  again. 
We  are  over.  Now  we  make  fast  our  rope,  and 
the  men  on  the  other  side  haul  her  back ;  and  thus 
we  tug  her  from  side  to  side,  heavily  freighted ; 
we  have  made  a  very  successful  crossing,  neither 
losing  nor  damaging  uny thing.  The  mules  swam 
the  river,  and  also  got  safely  over. 

May  27th Fine  morning;   made  an  early 

start;  kept  close  along  on  the  course  of  the 
river  for  about  twenty  miles,  following  a  ridge 
lightly  timbered.  The  opposite  or  east  bank 
is  an  enormous  mass  of  black  basaltic  rock,  ex- 
tending several  miles  in  length.  The  top  is 
like  a  table,  reaching  as  far  as  one  could  see, 


294 


MULE-HUNTING   EXPEDITION. 


quite  black,  and  not  the  vestige  of  a  plant  visible. 
The  black  expanse  had  exactly  the  appearance 
of  a  bed  of  rocks,  over  which  the  tide  ebbed 
and  flowed.  Crossed  a  creek  fifteen  miles  from 
camp,  deep  and  swift,  and  about  fifteen  yards 
wide  ;  five  miles  beyond  this  cross  another  creek, 
about  half  the  size.  Leave  the  timber  and  come 
out  on  a  ^vide  sandy  kind  of  desert,  covered  with 
wild-sage  and  stunted  juniper-trees,  frightfully 
dusty,  and  most  tiresome  for  the  mules ;  no  chance 
of  camping  until  quite  over  it,  which  is  twenty 
miles.  After  a  weary  march  reach  a  creek,  where 
I  stop ;  a  capital  camping-ground,  with  fine  grass 
and  water.  Passed  close  along  the  bases  of  the 
Three  Sisters,  lofty  mountains,  at  this  time  covered 
with  snow.  Saw  a  great  many  abandoned  lodges, 
but  no  Indians.  The  sandy  places  were  quite 
alive  with  the  Oregon  horned  toad  {Tapaya 
Douglassii)^  which  is  a  lizard  really  very  harm- 
less, and  particularly  ugly.  Every  stream  too 
was  thronged  with  beaver. 

May  2%th. — Mules  all  in  at  4  a.m.  Got  off  in 
good  time :  weather  not  nearly  so  cold.  Looked 
over  the  creek,  but  saw  no  gold,  but  any  quan- 
tity of  beaver-workings;  trees  four  feet  round 
had  been  cut  down  by  them.  Passed  through  a 
tract  of  lightly-timbered  la^';^  and  open  grassy 


AN  UNTOWARD    DESCENT. 


295 


valleys ;  crossed  a  small  creek  about  eight  miles 
from  camp,  descending  rapidly  all  the  way  for 
about  eighteen  miles. 

Came  on  to  the  top  of  a  high  basaltic  moun- 
tain, that  seemed  to  offer  an  almost  perpendicular 
descent  into  a  deep  gorge  or  canon.  I  rode  right 
and  left,  but  discovering  no  better  place,  down  we 
went ;  how  the  mules  managed  to  scramble  to  the 
bottom  without  falling  head  over  heels  I  know 
not,  but  we  got  safely  down.  I  believe  it  would 
have  been  utterly  impossible  to  have  got  up  over 
it  a  second  time.  Through  the  gorge  ran  a  large 
swift  stream,  called  by  the  Indians  Wychus  creek, 
in  which  we  found  a  good  fording-place  and  got 
over  it;  safely  camped  about  a  mile  below  the 
place  we  forded.  The  camp  was  completely  shut 
in  by  almost  vertical  cliffs  of  basalt  and  tuffa, 
covered  thickly  with  what  I  take  to  be  ancient 
river-drift;  the  cliffs  were,  I  should  say,  quite 
100  feet  high. 

The  great  black  hutte  down  which  we  scram- 
bled was  a  volcano,  and  an  active  one  too,  not 
a  very  long  time  ago  ;  streams  of  lava,  just  like 
slag,  that  had  run  in  a  molten  state  as  if  from 
out  a  huge  glass  furnace,  reached  from  its  sum- 
mit to  its  base;  and  the  red  cindery  earth,  on 
either  side  this  congealed  stream,  told  plainly 


206 


MULE-HUNTING  EXPEDITION. 


enough  how  fearfully  hot  it  must  have  been. 
One  would  imagine  this  district  was  entirely 
volcanic,  the  great  desert- waste  we  crossed  being 
composed  of  pumice,  scoria,  and  ashes.  Perhaps 
these  lesser  hills  were  safety-valves  to  the  more 
conspicuous  mountains  in  the  coast-range  of 
British  Columbia  and  Washington  Territory — 
Mounts  Baker,  Rein^  St.  Helens,  and  others. 

Several  pillars,  composed  of  a  kind  of  conglome- 
rate, quite  away  from  all  the  surrounding  rocks, 
stand  as  if  man  had  hewn  or  rather  built  them — 
ghostly  obelisks,  that  have  a  strange  and  unusual 
look.  I  suppose  the  portions  that  once  joined 
them  to  the  mass,  from  which  thoy  were  detached, 
must  have  been  crumbled  off  by  Time's  fingers, 
and  these  solitary  pedestals  left  as  records. 
Round  them,  too,  were  scores  of  tiny  heaps  of 
boulders,  built,  as  I  am  informed,  by  the  Snake 
Indians,  who  suppose  these  pillars  are  the  remains 
of  spirits  that  have  been  turned  into  stone ;  but 
for  what  object  they  really  pile  up  these  little 
altars  I  could  never  discover,  though  the  Indians 
tell  you  as  a  powerful  '  medicine ' ;  but  who  can 
say  what  that  means? 

May  29th. — All  night  it  rained  in  torrents, 
and  I  do  not  think  I  ever  saw  so  dark  a  night ;  the 
rain  put  out  all  our  fires,  and  I  could  neither  see 


WARM   SPRING   RESERVATION. 


297 


men  or  mules,  althoupjh  close  to  them.  Got  the 
mules  together  at  7  a.m.,  but  did  not  make  an 
early  start,  in  consequence  of  the  men  being 
tired  from  want  of  sleep :  we  managed  to  start  at 
eight  o'clock.  Our  first  task  was  to  get  out  of  the 
gorge.  It  was  a  most  tedious  and  even  danger- 
ous job,  for  the  ground  was  loose,  and  constantly 
broke  away  from  under  the  mules'  feet,  but  at 
last  we  managed  to  scramble  to  the  top. 

For  twenty  miles  farther  it  was  a  continued 
series  of  uphill  and  downhill,  all  loose  basaltic 
ground,  and  very  hard  to  travel  over.  Descend- 
ing a  long  sandy  hill  we  came  to  an  Indian 
reserve  (the  Warm  Spring  reservation) ;  and  we 
encamp.  The  house  is  a  large  quadrangular 
building  of  squared  blocks,  loopholed  for  shooting 
through.  Six  white  men  live  here,  and  the 
Indians  on  the  reservation  are  the  Des  Chutes 
tribe  j  they  cultivate  a  small  quantity  of  ground 
very  badly.  All  hands  are  in  a  great  state  of 
ferment.  A  band  of  Snake  Indians  have  just 
made  a  raid  on  the  reservation,  driven  off  seven- 
teen head  of  stock,  and  are  hourly  expected  to 
return.  This  is  cheering,  considering  I  must  pass 
the  night  here.     But,  luckily,  no  Indians  came. 

May  SOth. — I  should  be  seventy  miles  from 
the  camp  I  am  to  join ;  start  with  one  man  as  a 


I 
■  t 


*^08 


MULE-HUNTING   EXPEDITION. 


companion  at  three  o'clock  in  the  morning.  The 
silver  stream  of  light  from  the  unclouded  moon 
illumines  the  trail  we  follow  as  brightly  as  sun- 
shine. The  mules  are  to  follow.  As  day  dawns 
an  open  plain  is  seen,  spreading  far  away  right  and 
left,  and  along  it  a  horseman  gallops  towards  us. 

As  he  nears  I  make  him  out  to  be  an  Indian  on 
a  skewballed  horse.  We  stop  and  parley,  and  I 
find  he  is  a  Snake  scout ;  both  horse  and  rider 
are  splendid  specimens  of  their  kind.  A  circle  of 
eagle's  feathers  fastened  to  the  skin  of  the  ermine 
surrounds  his  head,  and  lon^.»  raven  black  hair 
covers  his  neck:  a  scarlet  blanket,  elaborately 
beaded,  hangs  from  his  shoulders ;  a  broad 
wampum-belt  contains  his  knife  and  powder- 
horn,  and  in  his  right  hand  he  bears  a  rifle. 
But  very  little  paint  daubs  his  shining-red  skin, 
through  which  every  muscle  stands  out  as  if  cast 
in  bronze ;  he  is  a  handsome  savage,  if  there  ever 
was  one.  As  we  ride  in  opposite  directions,  I  can- 
not help  thinking  that  men  and  mules  will  stand 
but  little  chance  if  all  the  Snakes  are  like  to  this 
sable  warrior.  Reached  a  cabin  at  the  Tye  creek 
after  doing  forty-five  miles,  where  we  remained 
for  the  night. 

May  Z\st. — Ride  in  amidst  the  tents  of  the 
Commission,  anxiously  awaiting  my  arrival.   The 


REACH    TUB    C<  MMISSIO^   CAMP. 


29tt 


following  day  men  and  mules  arrive  sn  'v.  S'^ 
ended  my  jouniey  through  the  wild<  part 
Oregon,  having  accomplished  a  hazardous,  wea- 
risome journey,  making  my  way  a  distance  ol' 
several  hundred  miles  without  any  trails,  or,  if 
any,  simply  trails  used  by  Indians  to  reach  their 
hunting  or  lishing-grounds ;  sleeping  during  the 
whole  time  in  the  open  air,  a  saddle  my  only 
pillow.  Apart  from  the  anxiety,  harass,  and  want 
of  rest,  and  the  necessity  of  guarding  against  the 
hostile  Klamaths,  to  save  the  mules  and  our 
scalps,  we  all  enjoyed  the  journey  thoroughly, 
not  even  a  cold  resulting  from  the  exposur  e. 


300 


THE    SHARP-TAILED   GROUSE. 


If 


CHAPTER  XII. 

SnARP-TAIIiED     GROUSE  —  BALD-HEADED     EAOLE  —  MOSQUITOS  — 
LAOOMYS  MINIMUS   (nOV.  8P.) — HUMMINQUIRDS — UR0TRICHU8. 

« 

The  Sharp-tailed  Grouse  {Pedioccetes  Phasia- 
nellus,  Baird ;  Tetrao  Phasianellus^  Linn. ;  Centro- 
cercus  Phasianellus^  Jurdine ;  Phasianus  Colum- 
hianuSy  Ord.) — Specific  characters  :  The  tail 
consists  of  eighteen  feathevs — prevailing  colours 
black,  white,  and  umber-yellow  ;  the  back 
marked  with  transverse  bars,  the  wings  with 
round  conspicuous  white  spots — under  pure 
white  ;  the  breast  and  sides  thickly  marked  with 
V-shaped  blotches  of  dark-brown ;  length  about 
18-00;  wing,  8-50;  tail,  5*23  inches. 

This  beautiful  bird  is  alike  estimable,  whether 
we  consider  him  in  reference  to  his  field  qualities 
(therein  being  all  a  grouse  ought  to  be,  rising 
with  a  loud  rattling  whirr,  and  going  off  straight 
as  an  arrow,  lying  well  to  dogs,  and  frequenting 
open  grassy  prairies),  or  viewed  as  a  table  dainty, 


ifiiisi^;'':^'^* 


/, 


5'  - 

V* 


«/■ 


I//. 


■'•^''::^-^!'''; 


Vv' 


^>}-.     •.'? 


/^"•^ 


TUR   SHARP-TAILED   OBOVSE 
(Pcdiocaotcs  pliasianelluB), 


MAKES   A   DELICIOUS   GRILL. 


301 


when  bowled  over  and  grilled.  Though  his 
flesh  is  brown,  yet  for  delicacy  of  flavour — game 
in  every  sense  of  the  word — I'll  back  him  against 
any  other  bird  in  the  Western  wilds.  This  grouse 
appears  to  replace  the  Prairie-hen  (Cupidonia 
cupido)  on  all  the  prairies  west  of  the  Eocky 
Mountains.  By  the  fur- traders  it  is  called  the 
'  spotted  chicken' ;  for  all  grouse,  by  the  traders 
and  half-breeds,  are  called  chickens !  and  desig- 
nated specifically  by  either  habit  or  colour — such 
as  blue  chickens,  wood  chickens,  white  chickens 
(ptaimigan),  &c.  &c. ;  the  skis-kin  of  the  Kootanie 
Indians. 

The  tail  is  cuneate  and  gmduated,  and  about 
two-thirds  the  length  of  the  wing  ;  the  central 
pair,  considerably  longer  than  the  rest,  terminate 
in  a  point — hence  the  name  sharp-tailed. 

The  singular  mixture  of  colours  (white,  black, 
and  brownish-yellow),  the  dark  blotches,  trans- 
verse bars,  and  Y-shaped  marks  of  dark-brown, 
exactly  resemble  the  ground  on  which  the  bird  is 
destined  to  pass  its  life.  The  ochreish-yellow 
angular  twigs  and  dead  leaves  of  the  Artemisia,  or 
wild-sage  ;  the  sandy  soil,  dried  and  bleached  to 
a  dingy- white ;  the  brown  of  the  withered  bunch- 
grass  ;  the  weather-beaten  fragments  of  rock,  clad 
in  liveries  of  sombre-coloured  lichens,  admirably 


M 


302 


THE    SHARP-TAILED   GROUSE. 


haraionise  with  the  colours  in  which  Nature 
has  wisely  robed  this  feathered  tenant  of  the 
wilderness. 

Often,  when  the  sharp  crack  of  the  gun,  and  the 
ping  of  the  fatal  leaden  messengers,  has  rung  the 
death-peal  of  one  of  these  prairie- chiefs,  I  have 
watched  the  whirring  wing  drop  powerless,  and 
the  arrowy  flight  stop  in  mid-career,  and,  with 
a  heavy  thud,  the  bird  come  crashing  down. 
Rushing  to  pick  him  up,  and  keeping  my  eye 
steadily  on  the  spot  where  he  fell,  I  have  felt 
a  little  mystified  at  not  seeing  my  friend :  here 
he  fell,  I  am  quite  sure ;  so  I  trudge  up  and  down, 
circle  round  and  round,  until  a  slight  movement 
— an  eflbrt  to  run,  or  a  dying  struggle — attracts 
my  attention,  and  then  I  find  I  have  been  the 
whole  time  close  to  the  fallen  bird.  But  so 
closely  do  the  back  and  outspread  wings  re- 
semble the  dead  foliage  and  sandy  soil,  that  it 
*s  almost  impossible  for  the  most  practised  eye 
to  detect  these  birds  when  crouching  on  the 
ground;  and  there  can  be  no  doubt  that  it  as 
effectually  conceals  them  from  birds  of  prey. 

This  bird  is  abundantly  distributed  on  the  west- 
em  slope  of  the  Rocky  Mountains,  ranging  right 
and  left  of  the  Boundary-line,  the  49th  parallel 
of  north  latitude.     It  is  particularly  abundant 


ITS    HABITAT   AND   FAVOURITE   HAUNTS. 


303 


SO 

re- 

lat  it 

eye 

the 

t  as 


on  the  tobacco-plains  near  the  Kootanie  river, 
round  the  Osoyoos  lakes,  and  in  the  valley  of 
the  Columbia. 

I  have  never  seen  this  grouse  on  the  western 
side  of  the  Cascade  range.  This  bird  is  also 
found  in  the  Red  River  settlements,  in  the  north 
of  Minnesota,  as  well  as  on  the  shores  of  Hudson's 
Bay,  and  on  the  Mackenzie  river.  Mr.  Ross 
notes  it  as  far  north  as  the  Arctic  Circle. 

Of  the  different  species  of  grouse  I  met  with 
in  my  rambles  (described  in  vol.  ii.)  not  one  has 
come  so  often  under  my  observation  as  this,  the 
sharp-tailed  gi'ouse.  Its  favourite  haunt  is  on  open 
grassy  plains, — in  the  morning  keeping  itself 
concealed  in  the  thick  long  grass,  but  coming  in 
about  midday  to  the  streams  to  drink,  and  dust 
itself  in  the  sandy  banks ;  it  seldom  goes  into  the 
timber,  and,  if  it  does,  always  remains  close  to 
the  prairie,  never  retiring  into  the  depths  of  the 
forest. 

They  lay  their  eggs  on  the  open  prairie,  in 
a  tuft  of  grass,  or  by  the  foot  of  a  small  hillock ; 
nesting  early  in  the  spring,  and  laying  from  twelve 
to  fourteen  eggs.  The  nest  is  a  hole  scratched 
out  in  the  earth,  a  few  grass-stalks  and  root-fibres 
laid  carelessly  and  loosely  over  the  bottom  ;  the 
eggs  are  of  a  dark  nisty-brown,  with  small  splashes 


804 


THE   SHARP-TAILED   GROUSE. 


or  speckles  of  darker  brown  thickly  spattered 
over  them. 

After  nesting-time,  they  first  appear  in  coveys 
or  broods  about  the  middle  of  August ;  the  young 
birds  are  then  about  three  parts  grown,  strong  on 
the  wing,  and  afford  admirable  sport.  At  this 
t'Tne  they  live  by  the  margins  of  small  streams, 
where  there  is  thin  timber  and  underbrush,  with 
plenty  of  sandy  banks  to  dust  in.  About  the 
middle  of  September  and  on  into  October  they 
begin  to  pack;  first  two  or  three  coveys  get 
together,  then  fiock  joins  flock,  until  they 
gradually  accumulate  into  hundreds.  On  the 
first  appearance  of  snow  they  begin  to  perch, 
settling  on  high  dead  pine-trees,  the  dead 
branches  being  a  favourite  locality ;  or,  should 
there  be  any  farms,  they  pitch  round  on  the  top 
of  the  snake-fences.  At  the  Hudson's  Bay 
trading-post  at  Fort  Colville  there  were  large 
wheat'Stubbles ;  in  these,  after  the  snow  fell, 
they  assembled  in  vast  numbers.  Wary  and 
shy  they  are  now,  and  most  difficult  to  get  at ; 
the  cause  being,  I  apprehend,  the  snow  rendering 
every  moving  thing  so  conspicuous,  it  is  next 
to  impossible  for  dogs  to  hunt  them. 

Their  food  in  the  summer  consists  principally 
of   berries  —  the    snowberry    {Symphoricarpus 


A  LOCAL   SUBSTITUTE   FOR   TOBACCO. 


30^ 


large 


lermg 
next 


racemosus),  and  the  bearberry  (Arctostaphylos 
uva-ursi).  The  leaves  of  this  latter  plant  are 
used  to  a  great  extent,  both  by  Indians  and 
traders,  to  mix  with  or  use  instead  of  tobacco, 
and  called  hini-kinick  \  the  leaves  being  dried 
over  the  fire,  and  rubbed  up  in  the  hand  to 
powder,  and  smoked  in  a  pipe.  The  wild 
roseberries  {Rosa  hlanda  and  Rosa  mirantha), 
and  many  others,  usually  designated  huckle- 
berries, constitute  the  food  generally  consumed 
by  these  birds  during  summer  and  autumn; 
although  I  have  often  found  quantities  of  wheat- 
grdns  and  larvae  of  insects,  grass-seeds,  and 
small  wild  flowers  in  their  crops.  Their  thickly- 
feathered  feet  enable  them  to  run  upon  the  snow 
with  ease  and  celerity,  and  they  dig  holes  and 
burrow  underneath  it  much  after  the  fashion  of 
the  ptarmigan. 

During  the  two  winters  we  spent  at  Colville, 
flocks  of  these  birds  congregated  about  the  corn- 
stacks  and  hayricks  at  our  mule-camp,  and  at 
the  Hudson's  Bay  trading-post,  Fort  Colville. 
The  temperature  at  that  time  was  often  do-wn  to 
29°  and  30°  below  zero,  and  the  snow  three  feet 
deep  ;  yet  these  birds  did  not  at  all  appear  to 
suffer  from  such  intense  cold,  and  were  strong, 
wild,   and  fat  during  the  entire  winter,  which 

VOL.  I.  X 


«06 


THE   INDIAN   *  HORSE-GUARDS.' 


lasted  from  October  until  near  April  before  the 
snow  entirely  cleared. 

In  this  valley  (the  Colville  valley)  the  Com- 
missioner and  myself  had,  I  think,  as  brisk  and 
nice  a  bit  of  shooting  as  I  ever  enjoyed.  If 
I  remember  aright,  it  was  towards  the  end 
of  September,  and  the  birds  had  packed.  "We 
rode  down  one  clear  bright  morning,  about  six 
miles,  to  the  Horse-Guards.  Do  not  at  once 
hastily  imagine  any  analogy  between  Colville  val- 
ley and,  Whitehall.  The  heavy  man,  with  his 
heavy  boots,  heavy  sword,  heavy  dress,  heavy 
walk,  and  heaviest  of  all  heavy  horses — so  con- 
spicuous a  f  ature  in  our  London  sights — is  re- 
presented here  by  the  genuine  savage,  thin  and 
lissom  as  an  eel;  his  equipment  a  whip,  a  lasso,  a 
scalping-knife,  and  sometimes  a  trade-gun ;  a  pad 
his  saddle,  and  the  bands  of  horses,  some  two  hun- 
dred in  number,  his  charge.  A  stream  of  cold  clear 
water  rambles  quietly  down  the  hillside;  and 
as  the  hills  are  thickly  dotted  with  bunch-grass, 
affording  most  glorious  pasturage,  the  Hudson's 
Bay  fort  horses  are  always  pastured  here,  and 
guarded  by  Indians;  hence  comes  the  name — 
'  the  Horse-Guards.' 

The  Colville  valley  is,  roughly  speaking,  about 
thirty  miles  long,  the  hills  on  one  side  being 


GROUSE-SHOOTING  AT   COLVILLE   VALLEY.        307 


densely  studded  with  pine-trees,  and  on  the  other 
quite  clear  of  timber,  but  thickly  clothed  up  to 
their  rounded  summits  with  the  bunch-grass. 
This  is  a  peculiar  kind  of  grass,  that  grows  in  tufts, 
and  its  fattening  qualities  are  truly  wonderful. 

The  little  stream  at  the  Horse-Guards  has  on 
either  side  of  it  a  belt  of  thin  brush,  and  in  this, 
and  in  the  long  grass  close  to  the  stream,  we 
found  the  sharp-tailed  grouse.  There  were  hun- 
dreds of  them — up  they  went,  and,  right  and  left, 
down  they  came  again !  It  might  have  been  the 
novelty  of  the  scene,  cp  using  an  undue  anxiety 
and  excitement,  or  perhaps  it  was  the  liver, 
or  powder,  or  something  else — who  knows  what? 
— but  this  I  do  know,  that  neither  of  us  shot  our 
best,  but  we  made  a  glorious  bag  nevertheless. 
They  rise  with  a  loud  rattling  noise,  and  utter  a 
peculiar  cry,  like  *  chuck,  chuck,  chuck,'  rapidly 
and  shiilly  repeated.  On  first  risir  g  the  wings  are 
moved  with  great  rapidity,  V^t  after  getting 
some  distance  off  they  sail  along,  the  wings  being 
almost  quiescent. 

They  pair  very  early  in  the  spring,  long  before 
the  snow  has  gone  off  the  ground,  and  their  love- 
meetings  are  celebrated  in  a  somewhat  curious 
feshion.  By  the  half-breeds  and  fur-traders  these 
festivities  are  called  chicken  or  pheasant  dances. 

z  2 


308 


PHEASANT   BALLS   OR   DANCES. 


I  was  lucky  enough  to  be  present  at  several  of 
these  balls  whilst  at  Fort  Colville.  Then*  usual 
time  of  assembling  is  about  sunrise,  and  late  in 
the  afternoon;  they  select  a  high  round-topped 
mound ;  and  often,  ere  the  fair  are  wooed  and 
won,  and  the  happy  couple  start  on  their  domes- 
tic cares,  the  mound  is  trampled  and  beaten  bare 
as  a  road. 

I  had  often  longed  to  be  present  at  one  of 
these  chicken-dances;  and  it  so  happened  that, 
riding  up  into  the  hills  early  one  spring  morning, 
my  most  ardent  wishes  were  fully  realised.  The 
peculiar  *  chuck-chuck'  came  clear  and  shrill  upon 
the  crisp  frosty  air,  and  told  me  a  dance  was  afoot. 
I  tied  up  my  horse  and  my  dog,  and  crept 
quietly  along  towards  the  knoll  from  whence  the 
sound  appeared  to  come.  Taking  advantage  of 
some  rocks,  I  weazled  myself  along,  and,  with- 
out exciting  observation,  gained  the  shelter  of 
an  old  pine-stump  close  to  the  summit  of  a  hil- 
lock ;  and  there,  sure  enough,  the  ball  was  at  its 
height. 

Reader,  <^an  you  go  back  to  the  days  of  your 
first  pantomime,  your  first  Punch-and-Judy,  or 
bring  to  your  remembrance  the  fresh,  bounding, 
joyous  delight  that  you  felt  in  the  days  of  your 
youth,  when  you  had  before  your  eyes  some  long 


STRANGE  *  CURE  *  PERFORMANCE. 


309 


and  deeply- wished-for  novelty  ?  If  you  can,  you 
will  be  able  to  imagine  my  childish  pleasure  when 
looking  for  the  first  time  on  a  chicken-dance. 
There  were  about  eighteen  or  twenty  birds  present 
on  this  occasion,  and  it  was  almost  impossible  to 
distinguish  the  males  from  the  females,  the 
plumage  being  so  nearly  alike;  but  I  imagined  the 
females  were  the  passive  ones.  The  four  birds 
nearest  to  me  were  head  to  head,  like  gamecocks 
in  fighting  attitude — the  neck-feathers  ruffed  up, 
the  little  sharp  tail  elevated  straight  on  end,  the 
wings  dropped  close  to  the  ground,  but  keeping 
up  by  a  rapid  vibration  a  continued  throbbing  or 
drumming  sound. 

They  circled  round  and  round  each  other  in 
slow  waltzing-time,  always  maintaining  the  same 
attitude,  but  never  striking  at  or  grappling  with 
each  other ;  then  the  pace  increased,  and  one  hotly 
pursued  the  other  until  he  faced  about,  and  tete- 
a-tete  went  waltzing  round  again ;  then  they  did  a 
sort  of  '  Cure '  performance,  jumping  about  two 
feet  into  the  air  until  they  were  winded ;  and  then 
they  strutted  about  and  '  struck  an  attitude,'  like 
an  acrobat  after  a  successful  tumble.  There  were 
others  marching  about,  with  their  tails  and  heads 
as  high  as  they  could  stick  them  up,  evidently 
doing  inQ  *  heavy  swell;'  others,  again,  did  not 


■f 


310        THE   QUESTION   OF  ACCLIMATISATION. 

appear  to  have  any  well-defined  ideas  what  they 
ought  to  do,  and  kept  flying  up  and  pitching 
down  again,  and  were  manifestly  restless  and 
excited — perhaps  rejected  suitors  contemplating 
something  desperate.  The  music  to  this  eccen- 
tric dance  was  the  loud  'chuck-chuck'  continu- 
ously repeated,  and  the  strange  throbbing  sound 
produced  by  the  vibrating  wings.  I  saw  several 
balls  after  this,  but  in  every  one  the  same 
series  of  strange  evolutions  were  carried  out. 

In  reference  to  this  bird's  adaptability  to  accli- 
matisation in  our  own  country,  it  appears  to  me 
to  be  most  admirably  fitted  for  our  hill  and 
moorland  districts.  It  is  very  hardy,  capable  of 
bearing  a  temperature  of  30°  to  33°  below  zero; 
feeds  on  seeds,  berries,  and  vegetable  matter — 
in  every  particular  analogous  to  what  it  could 
find  in  our  own  hill-country;  a  good  breeder, 
having  usually  from  twelve  to  fourteen  young  at 
a  brood ;  nests  early,  and  would  come  to  shoot 
about  the  same  time  as  our  own  grouse.  Snow 
does  not  hurt  them  in  the  slightest  degree ;  they 
burrow  into  it,  and  feed  on  what  they  can  find 
underneath  it.  The  two  specimens  in  the  British 
Museum  I  shot  in  the  Colville  valley ;  they  are 
male  and  female,  in  winter  plumage ;  and  anyone, 
who  may  feel  an  interest  in  getting  these  birds 


THE   BALD-HEADED   EAGLE. 


311 


brought  home,  may  there  see  for  himself  what 
fine  handsome  creatures  they  are. 

But  then  comes  the  question — how  are  they 
to  be  obtained,  and  how  brought  to  England  ?  I 
do  not  imagine  it  would  be  a  very  difficult  or 
expensive  matter ;  the  young  birds  in  May  could 
be  easily  obtained,  at  any  point  up  the  Columbia 
river,  by  employing  the  Indians  to  bring  them  to 
the  riverside;  and  once  on  board  steamer,  they 
could  be  as  easily  fed  as  fowls.  The  great  dif- 
ficulty I  have  always  had  is  in  bringing  the 
young  birds  from  the  interior  to  a  vessel ;  they 
always  die  when  transported  on  the  backs  of 
animals,  however  carefully  packed.  The  con- 
tinued jerking  motion  given  to  birds  packed  on 
the  back  of  a  mule  or  horse  as  he  walks  alonor 
has,  according  to  my  experience,  been  the  sole 
cause  of  their  dying  ere  you  could  reach  water- 
carriage  ;  but  the  fact  of  their  being  so  close  to 
water  as  they  are  along  the  Columbia  river,  would 
render  their  being  brought  home  a  very  easy  task. 

The  Bald-headed  Eagle  (Haliactus  leucoce- 
phalits)  is  seen  but  seldom,  as  during  its  breed- 
ing-time it  retires  into  the  hills,  and  usually 
chooses  a  lofty  pine  as  its  nesting-place.  Two 
of  them  had  a  nest  near  the  Chilukweyuk  lake, 
which  was  quite  inaccessible,  of  immense  size, 


I 


312 


THE   EFFECTS   OF   COLD. 


and  built  entirely  of  sticks — the  same  nest  being 
invariably  used  year  after  year  by  the  same 
pair  of  birds.  Their  food  consists  mainly  of  fish, 
and  it  is  a  curious  sight  to  watch  an  eagle  plunge 
into  the  water,  seize  a  heavy  salmon,  and  rise 
with  it  without  any  apparent  difficulty.  Both 
the  osprey  and  bald-headed  eagle  fish  with  their 
claws,  never,  as  far  as  I  have  observed  them, 
striking  at  a  fish  with  the  beak ;  during  winter 
they  collect,  young  and  old  together,  round  the 
Sumass  lake ;  and  as  the  cold  becomes  intense, 
they  sit  three  and  four  on  the  limb  of  a  pine- 
tree,  or  in  a  semi-stupid  state,  all  their  craft  and 
courage  gone,  blinking  and  drowsy  as  an  owl  in 
daytime. 

I  have  often,  when  walking  under  the  trees 
where  these  half-torpid  monarchs  of  the  air  sit 
side  by  side,  fired  and  knocked  one  out  from 
betwixt  its  neighbours,  without  causing  them 
the  slightest  apparent  alarm ;  three  I  picked  up 
one  morning  frozen  stiff  as  marble,  having  fallen 
dead  from  off  their  perch. 

Why  birds  so  powerfully  winged  should  prefer 
to  remain  where  the  winters  are  sufficiently 
intense  to  freeze  them  to  death,  rather  than  go 
southward,  where  food  is  equally  abundant,  is  a 
piystery  I  am  unable  to  explain.     Towards  the 


AN   IMPUDENT   TUEFT. 


313 


full  of  the  year,  when  the  hunting  and  fishing- 
grounds  of  the  Old-man  (Sea-la-ca,  as  the 
Indians  designate  the  eagle,  on  account  of  its 
wltite  head)  grow  scant  of  game,  hunger  prompts 
them  to  be  disagreeably  bold.  Constantly  a  fat 
mallard,  that  I  had  taken  a  vast  amount  of  trouble 
to  stalk,  was  pounced  upon  by  a  watchful  eagle, 
and  borne  off,  ere  the  report  of  my  gun  was  lost 
in  the  hills,  or  the  smoke  had  cleared  away ; 
mdeed,  I  have  sometimes  given  the  robber  the 
benefit  of  a  second  barrel,  as  punishment  for  his 
thievery.  Numberless  ducks  have  been  lost  to  me 
in  this  way.  This  eagle  is  by  far  the  most  abun- 
dant of  the  falcon  tribe  in  British  Columbia,  and 
always  a  conspicuous  object  in  ascending  a  river ; 
he  is  seated  on  the  loftiest  tree  or  rocky  pinnacle, 
and  soars  off  circling  round,  screaming  like  a  tor- 
tured demon,  as  if  in  remonstrance  at  such  an 
impudent  intrusion  into  its  solitudes.  The  adult 
plumage  is  not  attained  until  the  fourth  year  from 
the  nest. 

MosQUiTOS  (Culex pinguis J  uoY.  sp.) — Keader, 
if  you  have  never  been  in  British  Columbia, 
then,  I  say,  you  do  not  know  anything  about 
insect  persecution ;  neither  can  you  form  the 
faintest  idea  of  the  terrible  suffering  foes  so 
seemingly  insignificant  as  the  bloodthirst}/  horse- 


314 


MOSQUITOS  A   *  CAUTION.' 


'I 


fly  (Tabanus),  the  tiny  burning  fly  (beulot  or 
sand-fly  of  the  trappers),  and  the  well-known 
and  deservedly-hated  mosquito,  are  capable  of 
inflicting. 

A  wanderer  from  my  boyhood,  I  have  met  with 
these  pests  in  various  parts  of  our  globe — in  the 
country  of  Czemomorzi,  among  the  Black  Sea 
Cossacks,  on  the  plains  of  Troy,  up  on  Moun*^ 
Olympus,  amid  the  gorgeous  growths  of 
pical  forest,  where  beauty  and  malaria,  ^,nn 
brothers,  walk  hand-in-hand — away  in  the  deep 
dismal  solitudes  of  the  swamps  on  the  banks  of 
the  Mississippi,  on  the  wide  grassy  tracts  of  the 
Western  prairies,  and  on  the  snow-clad  summits 
of  the  Rocky  Mountains. 

Widely  remote  and  singularly  opposite  as  to 
climate  as  are  these  varied  localities,  yet,  as  these 
pests  are  there  in  legions,  I  imagined  that  I  had 
endured  the  maximum  of  misery  they  were 
capable  of  producing.  I  was  mistaken ;  all  ray 
experience,  all  my  vaunted  knowledge  of  their 
numbers,  all  I  had  seen  and  suff^ered,  was  as 
nothing  to  what  I  subsequently  endured.  On 
the  Sumass  prairie,  and  along  the  banks  of  the 
Fraser  river,  the  mosquitos  are,  as  a  Yankee 
would  say,  *  a  caution.' 

In  the  summer  our  work,  that  of  cutting  the 


A  PLEASANT   CAMP. 


315 


Boundary-line,  was  along  the  low  and  compara- 
tively flat  land  intervening  between  the  seaboard 
and  the  foot  of  the  Cascade  Mountains.  Our 
camp  was  on  the  Sumnss  prairie,  and  was  in 
reality  only  an  open  patch  of  grassy  land,  through 
which  wind  numerous  streams  from  the  moun- 
tains, emptying  themselves  into  a  large  shallow 
lake,  the  exit  of  which  is  into  the  Fraser  by  a 
short  stream,  the  Sumass  river. 

In  May  and  June  this  prairie  is  completely 
covered  with  water.  The  Sumass  river,  from 
the  rapid  rise  of  the  Fraser,  reverses  its  course, 
and  flows  back  into  th*  lake  instead  of  out  of  it. 
The  lake  fills,  overflows,  and  completely  floods 
the  lower  lands.  On  the  subsidence  of  the 
waters,  we  pitched  our  tents  on  the  edge  of  a 
lovely  stream.  Wildfowl  were  in  abundance; 
the  streams  were  alive  with  fish ;  the  mules  and 
horses  revelling  in  grass  kneedeep — ^we  were  in 
a  second  Eden ! 

We  had  enjoyed  about  a  week  at  this  delightful 
camp,  when  the  mosquitos  began  to  get  rather 
troublesome.  We  knew  these  most  unwelcome 
visitors  were  to  be  expected,  from  Indian  infor- 
mation. I  must  confess  I  had  a  vague  suspicion 
that  the  pests  were  to  be  more  dreaded  than  we 
were  willing  to  believe ;  for  the  crafty  redskins 


I 


f> 


816 


A   DISAGREEABLE  FOG. 


had  stages  erected,  or  rather  fastened  to  stout 
poles  driven  like  piles  into  the  mud  at  the  bot- 
tom of  the  lake.  To  these  large  platforms  over 
the  water  they  all  retire,  on  the  first  appearance 
of  the  mosquitos. 

In  about  four  or  five  days  the  increase  was 
something  beyond  all  belief,  and  really  terri- 
ble. I  can  convey  no  idea  of  the  numbers, 
except  by  saying  they  were  in  dense  clouds 
truly,  and  not  figuratively,  a  thick  fog  of 
mosquitos.  Night  or  day  it  was  just  the 
same ;  the  hum  of  these  bloodthirsty  tyrants 
was  incessant.  We  ate  them,  drank  them, 
breathed  them ;  nothing  but  the  very  thickest 
leathern  clothing  was  of  the  slightest  use  as  : 
protection  against  tb  iV  lancets.  The  trousert 
had  to  be  tied  tightly  round  the  ankle,  and  the 
coat-sleeve  round  the  wrist,  to  prevent  their 
getting  in;  but  if  one  more  crafty  than  the 
others  found  out  a  needle-hole,  or  a  thin  spot, 
it  would  have  your  blood  in  a  second.  We 
lighted  huge  fires,  fumigated  the  tents,  tried 
every  expedient  we  could  think  of,  but  all  in 
vain.  They  seemed  to  be  quite  happy  in  a 
smoke  that  would  stifle  anything  mortal,  and, 
what  was  worse,  they  grew  thicker  every  day. 

Human  endurance  has  its  limits.     A  man  can- 


A   K-NOBBY  APPEARANCE. 


317 


as 


not  stand  being  eaten  alive.  It  was  utterly  im- 
possible to  work  ;  one's  whole  time  was  occupied 
in  slapping  viciously  at  face,  head,  and  body, 
stamping,  ginimbling,  and  savagely  slaughtering 
hecatombs  of  mosquitos.  Faces  rapidly  assumed 
an  irregularity  of  outline  anything  but  consonant 
with  the  strict  lines  of  beauty ;  each  one  looked 
as  if  he  had  gone  in  for  a  heavy  fight,  and  lost. 
Hands  increased  in  size  with  painful  rapidity, 
and — without  intending  a  slang  joke — one  was 
in  a  k-nohhy  state  from  head  to  heel. 

The  wretched  mules  and  horses  were  driven 
wild,  racing  about  like  mad  animals,  dashing  into 
the  water  and  out  again,  in  among  the  trees; 
but,  go  where  they  would,  their  persecutors  stuck 
to  them  in  swarms.  The  poor  dogs  sat  and 
howled  piteously,  and,  prompted  by  a  wise  instinct 
to  avoid  their  enemies,  dug  deep  holes  in  the 
earth ;  and  backing  in  lay  with  their  heads  at  the 
entrance,  whining,  snapping,  and  shaking  their 
ears,  to  prevent  the  mosquitos  from  getting  in 
at  them. 

There  was  no  help  for  it — our  camp  had  to  be 
abandoned  ;  we  were  completely  vanquished  and 
driven  away — the  work  of  about  a  hundred  men 
stopped  by  tiny  flies.  Our  only  chance  of  escape 
was  to  retire  into  the  hills,  and  return  to  complete 


318 


THE  MAUSOLEUM. 


our  work  late  in  the  autumn,  when  they  disappear. 
Hard  wind  is  the  only  thing  that  quells  them ; 
but  it  simply  drives  them  into  the  grass,  to 
return  on  its  lulling,  if  possible,  more  savagely 
hungry.  Quaint  old  Spenser  knew  this ;  he  says, 
speaking  of  gnats : — 

No  man  nor  beast  maj  rest  or  take  repast 

For  their  sharp  sounds  and  noyoas  injuries, 
Till  the  fierce  northern  wind  with  blustering  blast 
Doth  blow  them  quite  away,  and  in  the  ocean  cast. 

My  notebook,  as  I  open  it  now,  is  a  mausoleum 
of  scores  of  my  enemies ;  there  they  lay,  dry  and 
flat ;  round  some  of  them  a  stain  of  blood  teUs 
how  richly  they  merited  their  untimely  end. 

One  thing  has  always  puzzled  me  in  the  history 
of  these  ravenous  cannibals — ^what  on  earth  can 
they  get  to  feed  on,  when  there  are  no  men  or 
animals?  I  brought  home  specimens,  of  course; 
and  I  am  by  no  means  sm*e  I  feel  any  great 
pleasure  in  finding  my  foe  to  be  a  new  species, 
but  it  is,  and  named  Culex  pinguis^  because  it 
was  fatter  and  rounder  than  any  of  its  known 
brethren. 

The  habits  of  this  new  mosquito  are,  in  every 
detail,  the  same  as  all  the  known  species.  The 
female  lays  her  eggs,  which  are  long  and  oval  in 
shape,  in  the  watery  then  aided  by  her  hind-legs, 


A  READY-MADE   CANOE. 


819 


appear, 
i  them; 
•ass,  to 
avagely 
iie  says, 


»last 
cast. 

isoleum 
iry  and 
od  tells 
nd. 

history 
Lrth  can 
men  or 
course ; 
Y  great 
species, 
;ause  it 
known 

L  every 
The 
oval  in 
id-legs, 


she  twists  about  the  eggs,  and  tightly  glues  them 
together,  into  a  very  beautiful  little  boat-shaped 
bundle,  that  floats  and  drifts  about  in  the  water. 
In  simny  weather  the  eggs  are  speedily  hatched, 
and  the  larvae  lead  an  aquatic  life.  They  are 
very  active,  diving  to  the  bottom  with  great 
rapidity,  and  as  quickly  ascending  to  the  sur- 
face to  breathe ;  the  respiratory  organs  being 
situated  near  the  tail,  on  the  eighth  segment  of 
the  abdomen,  they  hang,  as  it  were,  in  the 
water,  head  downwards.  After  shifting  the  skin 
three  or  four  times,  they  change  into  the  pupa 
form,  in  which  state  they  move  about,  even  more 
actively  than  before,  aided  by  the  tail,  and  two 
organs  like  paddles,  attached  to  it.  In  this  stage 
of  their  existence  they  never  feed  (I  only  wish 
they  would  always  remain  in  this  harmless  condi- 
tion) ;  and  although  they  still  suspend  themselves 
in  the  water,  the  position  is  reversed,  the  breath 
ing  organs  being  now  placed  on  the  chest. 

The  final  change  to  the  perfect  or  winged 
state  is  most  curious,  and  well  worth  careful 
attention.  The  pupa-case  splits  from  end  to 
end;  and,  looking  moist  ard  miserable,  with 
crumpled  wings,  the  little  fly  floats  on  its 
pre^doua  home,  an  exquisite  canoe  of  Nature's 
own  contriving.     A  breeze  of  wind  suflficient  to 


f? 


iil 


320 


AN   UNCOMFORTABLE  LODGING. 


^ 


.■    }\ 


ripple  the  water  i8  fatal  to  it  now,  as  ship- 
wreck is  inevitable ;  but  if  all  is  calm  and  con- 
ducive to  safety,  the  little  fly  dries,  the  wings 
expand,  it  inhales  the  air,  and  along  with  it 
strength  and  power  to  fly ;  then  bidding  goodbye 
to  the  frail  barque,  wings  its  way  to  the  land,  and 
begins  a  war  of  persecution. 

Mosquitos  never  venture  far  over  the  water 
after  once  quitting  their  skin-canoe :  this  fact  the 
wily  savage  has  taken  advantage  of.  During 
*  the  reign  of  terror '  the  Indians  never  come  on 
shore  if  they  can  help  it ;  and  if  they  do,  they 
take  good  care  to  flog  every  intruder  out  of  the 
canoes  before  reaching  the  stage. 

These  stages,  each  with  a  family  of  Indians 
living  on  them,  have  a  most  picturesque  ap- 
pearance. The  little  fleet  of  canoes  are  moored 
to  the  poles,  and  the  platform  reached  by  a  ladder 
made  of  twisted  cedar-bark.  Often  have  I  slept 
on  these  stages  among  the  savages,  to  avoid 
being  devoured.  But  I  am  not  quite  sure  if  one 
gains  very  much  by  the  change:  in  the  first 
place,  if  you  are  restless,  and  roll  about  in  your 
sleep,  you  stand  a  very  good  chance  of  finding 
yourself  soused  in  the  lake.  The  perfumes — 
varied  but  abundant — that  regale  your  nose  are 
not  such  as  are  wafted  from  'tropic  isles'  or 


LAGOMYS   mNBIUS. 


321 


i  ship- 
id  con- 
wings 
with  it 
oodbye 
id,  and 

5  water 
■act  the 
During 
ome  on 
io,  they 
t  of  the 

Indians 

[ue  ap- 

moored 

ladder 

I  slept 

avoid 

e  if  one 

le  first 

n  your 

finding 

imes — 

ose  are 

es*  or 


*Araby  the  blest.'  I  shall  not  shock  my  fair 
readers  "svith  any  comparison — you  must  imaghie 
it  is  not  agreeable.  Dogs  also  live  on  these  plat- 
forms; for  the  Indian  dog  is  always  with  his  mas- 
ter, sharing  bed  as  well  as  board.  These  canine 
favourites  are  not  exempt  from  persecutors ;  like 
the  giant  of  old,  they  at  once  '  smell  the  blood  of 
an  Englishman,'  and  will  have  some ;  but,  after 
all,  the  night  steals  away,  you  know  not  how, 
until  the  dawn,  blushing  over  the  eastern  hill- 
top" rouses  all  the  dreaming  world — except 
mosquitos,  that  never  sleep. 

On  the  eastern  side  of  the  Cascades  the 
scenery  and  general  physical  condition  of  the 
country  materially  changes,  and  the  Tahanus  and 
burning-fly  become  the  ruling  persecutors. 

Lagomys  minimus  (Lord,  sp.  nov. ) — The 
Commissioner,  myself,  a  few  men,  and  a  small 
train  of  pack-mules,  set  out  to  visit  some  of  the 
stations  on  the  Boundary-line,  east  of  the  Cas- 
cades. Our  route  lay  along  the  valley  of  the 
Shimilkameen  river,  to  strike  Ashtnolow,  a  tribu- 
•tary  that  led  up  into  the  mountains,  the  course  of 
which  we  were  to  follow  as  far  as  pmcticablc. 
We  had  a  delightful  trip,  through  a  district  in- 
describably lovely. 

There  is  a  wild  and  massive  grandeur  about 
VOL.  I.  X 


(1 


i 


322 


A   STIFF   CLIMB. 


the  eastern  side  of  the  Cascades,  unlike  the 
scenery  of  the  west  or  coast  slope,  which  is 
densely  wocded.  Here  it  was  like  riding  through 
a  succession  of  parks,  covered  with  grass  and 
flowers  of  varied  species. 

We  reached  the  junction  of  the  two  streams, 
and  camped,  just  as  the  sun,  disappearing  behind 
the  western  hills,  tinted  \vdth  purple  twilight  the 
ragged  peaks  of  the  rocks  that  shut  us  in  on 
every  side.  Scarce  a  sound  of  bird  or  beast  dis- 
turbed the  silence  of  the  forest,  and  save  the 
babble  of  the  stream,  as  it  rippled  over  the 
shingle,  all  nature  was  soon  hushed  in  deathlike 
sleep.  I  could  dimly  make  out  in  the  fading 
light  the  grim  hills  we  had  to  climb,  towering 
up  like  mighty  giants ;  the  clear  white  snow, 
covering  their  summits,  contrasted  strangely  with 
the  sombre  pine-trees,  thickly  covering  the  lower 
portion  of  the  mountains. 

We  had  a  stiff  climb  before  us,  and  my  hopes 
were  high  in  expectation  of  bowling  over  big- 
horn (Ovis  montana)  and  ptarmigan.  For  some 
distance  we  scrambled  up  the  sides  of  the 
brawling  torrent,  whose  course,  like  true  love, 
was  none  of  the  smoothest,  being  over  and  among 
vast  fragments  of  rock,  that  everywhere  covered 
the  hillside.  From  amidst  these  relics  of  destruc- 


A   MYSTERIOUS   WHISTLER. 


323 


ke  the 
lich  is 
hrough 
ass  and 

itreams, 
;  behind 
ijrht  the 
IS  in  on 
east  dis- 
\ave  the 
>ver  the 
leathlike 
e  fading 
towering 
te  snow, 
^ely  with 
the  lower 

ny  hopes 
3ver  big- 
For  some 
s  of  the 
rue  love, 
nd  among 
e  covered 
f  destruc- 


tion gi'ew  the  Douglas  pine  and  ponderous  cedar 
{Thuja  gigant(a).  Here  the  ascent  was  easy 
enough,  but  on  reaching  a  greater  altitude,  the 
climbing  became  anything  but  a  joke. 

We  at  last  reached  a  level  plateau  near  the 
summit,  and  lay  down  on  tiie  soft  mossy  grass, 
near  a  stream  that  came  trickling  down  from  the 
melting  snow. 

Close  to  my  couch  was  a  talus  of  broken 
granite,  that  Old  Time  and  the  Frost  King  between 
them  had  crumbled  away  from  a  mass  of  rocks 
above.  As  I  contemplated  this  heap  of  rocks,  a 
cry  like  a  plaintive  whistle  suddenly  attracted 
my  attention  ;  it  evidently  came  from  amongst 
the  stones.  I  listened  and  kept  quiet.  Again 
and  again  came  the  whistle,  but  nowhere  could 
I  see  the  whistler.  A  slight  movement  at  length 
betrayed  him,  and  I  could  clearly  make  out  a 
little  animal  sitting  bolt  upright,  like  a  begging- 
dog,  his  seat  a  flat  stone  in  the  middle  of  the  heap. 

I  had  a  load  of  small-shot  in  one  barrel,  in- 
tended for  ptaraiigan;  raising  my  gun  slowly 
and  cautiously  to  my  shoulder,  I  fired  as  I  lay  on 
the  ground.  The  sharp  ringing  crack  as  I  touched 
the  trigger — the  first,  perhaps,  that  had  ever 
awoke  the  echoes  of  the  mountain — was  the 
death-knell  of  the  poor  little  musician. 

T   2 


324 


AN   AGREEABLE   DISCOVERY. 


Pi        fii 


I  picked  him  up,  and  imagine  my  delight  when 
for  the  first  time  I  held  a  new  Lagomys  in  my 
hand.  Having  made  out  what  he  was,  the  next 
thing  to  be  done  was  to  watch  for  others — to 
find  out  what  they  did,  and  how  they  ])assed  the 
time  in  their  stony  citadel.  I  had  not  long  to 
wait;  they  soon  came  peeping  slily  out  of 
their  hiding-places,  and,  inferring  safety  from 
silence,  sat  upon  the  stones  and  cheerily  chorused 
to  each  other.  The  least  noise,  and  the  whistle 
was  sounded  sharper  and  more  shrill — the  danger- 
signal,  when  one  and  all  took  headers  among  the 
stones. 

I   soon   observed  they  were   busy  at  work, 


cariying    m 
moss,   and 


dry 


grass, 


constructmg 


fir-fronds,  roots,  and 
a  nest  in  the  clefts 
between  the  stones,  clearly  for  winter-quarters. 
The  nests  were  of  large  size,  some  of  them  con- 
sisting of  as  much  material  as  would  fill  a  good- 
sized  basket.  One  nest  was  evidently  the 
combined  work  of  several  little  labourers,  and 
destined  for  their  joint  habitation. 

There  were  no  provisions  stored  away,  neither 
do  I  think  they  garner  any  for  winter  use,  but 
simply  hybernate  in  the  warm  nest;  which,  of 
course,  is  thickly  covered  with  snow  during  the 


THE   LITTLE   CIIEIF   HARE. 


'62S 


twhcn 
in  my 
e  next 
3rs — to 
sed  the 
ioiig  to 
out    of 
y  from 
lorused 
whistle 
danger- 
ong  the 

,t  work, 
ts,  and 
3  clefts 
uarters. 
im  con- 
a  good- 
tly  the 
Bi's,  and 

neither 
ise,  but 
hich,  of 
ing  the 


intense  cold  of  these  northern  latitudes,  tlius 
more  efFectually  preventing  radiation  and  waste 
of  animal  heat.  Their  food  consists  entirely  of 
grass,  which  they  nibble  much  after  the  fashion 
of  our  common  ra])bit.  They  never  burrow  or 
dig  holes  in  the  ground,  but  puss  their  lives 
among  the  loose  stones.  Who  can  fail  to  truce 
the  evidence  of  Divine  care  in  colouring  the  fur 
of  this  defenceless  creature  in  a  ffurb  exactly 
resembling  the  grey  lichen -covered  fragments 
amongst  which  he  is  destined  to  pass  his  life  ? 
So  closely  does  the  animal  approximate  in  ap- 
pearance to  an  angular  piece  of  rock  when  sitting 
up,  that  unless  he  moves  it  takes  sharp  eyes  to 
see  him ;  and  the  cry  or  whistle  is  so  deceptive 
that  I  imagined  it  far  distant,  when  the  animal 
was  close  to  me. 

The  species  described  and  figured  by  Sir  John 
Richardson — F.B.A.,  plate  19,  Lepus  (^La<joinyf<) 
princeps^  the  little  Cheif  Hare — I  first  saw  at 
Chilukweyuk  lake,  and  next  on  the  trail  leading 
from  Fort  Hope,  on  the  Fraser  river,  to  Fort  Col- 
ville.  The  little  fellows  were  in  a  narrow  gorge, 
as  well  as  among  loose  stones.  It  was  about  the 
same  date  as  in  the  preceding  year  that  I  had 
seen Lagomys  minimus  making  its  nest;  but  here 


I 


326        LAGOMYS   rUINCEPS   NOT  A   NEST-MAKER. 

not  a  trace  of  nest  could  I  see,  nor  any  evidence 
of  an  attempt  to  make  one.  I  soon  after  returned 
again  by  the  same  trail.  The  snow  having  no\v^ 
fallen  to  the  depth  of  about  six  inches,  completely 
covering  up  the  rocks  and  stones,  all  the  animals 
had  disappeared;  and  although  I  searched  most 
carefully,  there  was  not  a  hole  or  track  in  the 
snow,  to  show  they  had  ever  left  their  quarters 
to  feed  or  wander  about. 

As  it  was  quite  impossible  a  nest  could  have 
been  made  in  the  interim,  it  is  perfectly  certain 
they  hybernate  in  holes  without  a  nest ;  whereas 
Lagomys  minimus^  living  at  a  much  greater  alti- 
tude, makes  a  nest  to  sleep  through  the  Avinter. 

Lagomys  minimus  (Lord,  sp.  nov.). — Sp. 
Char.  :  Differs  from  Lepus  (Lagomys) princeps  of 
Sir  J.  Richardson  (F.B.A.,  vol.  i.  p.  227,  pi.  19) 
in  being  much  smaller.  Predominant  colour  of 
back  dark-grey,  tinged  faintly  with  umber-yellow, 
— more  vivid  about  the  shoulders,  but  gradually 
shading  off  on  the  sides  and  belly  to  dirty-white ; 
feet  white,  washed  over  with  yellowish-bro^vn ; 
ears  large,  black  inside,  the  outer  rounded  margin 
edged  "with  white ;  eye  very  small,  and  intensely 
black ;  whiskers  long,  and  composed  of  about  an 
equal  number  of  white  and  black  hairs. 

Measurement:  Head  and  body,  6^  inches;  head, 


CER. 


GENERAL   DIFFERENCES. 


327 


vidence 
cturned 
ng  now 
[ipletely 
animals 
3(1  most 
:  in  the 
parters 

Id  have 
'  certain 
whereas 
ter  alti- 
winter. 
.).— Sp. 
inceps  of 

,  pi.  19) 
olour  of 

vyellow, 

radually 

j^-white ; 

-bro'svn ; 

i  margin 

ntensely 

ibout  an 

js;  head, 


2  inches;  nose  to  auditory  opening,  IJ  inch; 
height  of  ear  from  behind,  1  inch. 

The  skull  differs  in  being  generally  smaller; 
the  cranial  portion  of  the  skull  in  its  superior 
outline  is  much  narrower  and  smoother.  The 
nasal  bones  are  shorter  and  bror.der,  and  rounded 
at  their  posterior  articulation,  instead  of  being 
deeply  notched,  as  in  L.  princeps.  Distance  from 
anterior  molar  to  incisors  much  less;  auditory 
bulla)  much  smdler.  Inciors  shorter  and 
straighter,  and  \ery  deeply  grooved  on  the 
anterior  surface.  Molars  i  iiialler,  but  otherwise 
similar  inform.     Length  of  sku'/,  IJ  inch. 

General  differences  from  Lt  ,(  my s princeps: — 
First,  in  being  smaller,  i  .^  inch  shor  r  m  total 
length;  the  ear,  measu/ed  from  behind,  J  inch 
shorter ;  the  colour  generally  darker,  especially 
the  lower  third  of  the  back.  Secondly,  in  the 
structural  differences  of  the  skull ;  for  although 
these  differences  are  not  prominent  or  well-defined, 
yet  they  are  unquestionable  specific  variations. 
Thirdly,  in  the  habit  of  constructing  a  nest  of 
hay  for  the  wi>  ;<  r  sleep,  and  in  living  at  a  much 
greater  altitude. 

There  U  a  strange  indescribable  delight  in 
discovery,  and  in  finding  animals  for  the  first  time 
in  their  native  haunts,  animals  that  before  one  had 


' 


328 


HUMMINGBIRDS. 


vaguely  heard  or  only  read  of;  thus  digging,  as 
it  were,  from  Nature's  exhaustless  mine,  fresh 
wonders  of  Divine  handiwork  on  which  eye  had 
not  before  gazed. 

Hummingbirds.  —  Hummingbirds,  and  the 
%vild  tangled  loveliness  of  tropical  vegetation, 
appear  to  be  so  closely  linked  together,  that  we 
are  apt  to  think  the  one  essential  to  the  existence 
of  the  other. 

We  naturally  (at  least  I  did  in  my  earlier 
days)  associate  these  tiniest  gems  of  the  feathered 
creation  with  glowing  sunshine,  gorgeous  flowers, 
grotesque  orchids — palms,  plain  tains,  bananas,  and 
blacks.  This  is  all  true  enough,  and  if  we  take 
that  large  slice  of  the  American  continent  bet^vixt 
the  Amazon,  the  Rio  Grande,  and  the  Gila  (em- 
bracing Guiana,  New  Granada,  Central  America, 
Mexico,  and  the  West  Indian  islands),  as  the  home 
of  hummingbirds,  we  shall  pretty  truthfully  de- 
fine, what  is  usually  assumed  to  be,  the  geogra- 
phical range  of  this  group — a  gi'oup  entirely  con- 
fined to  America.  Within  the  above  limits,  the 
great  variety  of  species,  the  most  singular  in  form 
and  brilliant  in  plumage,  are  met  with. 

Gazing  on  these  gems  of  the  air,  one  would 
suppose  that  Nature  had  exhausted  all  her  skill 
in  lavishly  distributing  the  richest  profusion  of 


1 


nihmh-wkstk.kx  hi  MMiNn-iiii<i». 


1 

J 

t 

g 
I 
I 

I 

r 

f 

a 
1 

s 

r 

0 

\ 
t 
f] 

e 
h 


GEMS   AMIDST   THE    SNOW. 


828 


colours,  and  in  exquisitely  mingling  every  ima- 
ginable tint  and  shade,  to  adorn  these  diminutive 
creatures,  in  a  liveiy  more  lustrously  brilliant 
than  was  ev^r  fabricated  by  the  loom,  or  metal- 
worker's haid'craft. 

But  away  from  the  tropics  and  its  feathered 
wonders,  to  the  wild  solitudes  of  the  Rocky 
Mountains, — it  is  there  1  want  you  in  imagina- 
tion to  wander  ^vith  me,  and  to  jiicture  to  your- 
self, which  you  can  easily  do  if  you  possess  a 
naturalist's  love  of  discovery,  the  delight  I  expe- 
rienced when,  for  the  first  time,  I  saw  humming- 
birds up  in  the  very  regions  of  the  *Ice  King.' 

Early  in  the  month  of  May,  when  the  sun 
melts  down  the  doors  of  snow  and  ice,  and  sets 
free  imprisoned  nature,  I  was  sent  ahead  of  the 
astronomical  party  employed  in  making  the 
Boundary-line  to  cut  out  a  trail,  and  bridge  any 
streams  too  deep  to  ford.  The  first  impediment 
met  with  was  at  the  Little  Spokan  river, — little 
only  as  compared  with  the  Great  Spokan,  into 
which  it  Hows.  The  larger  stream  leads  from 
the  western  slope  of  the  Rocky  jMountains,  and 
flows  on  to  join  the  Columbia. 

It  was  far  too  deep  to  be  crossed  by  any 
expedient  short  of  bridging ;  so  a  l)ridge  had  to 
be  built,  an  operation  involving  quite  a  week's 


I 


8a0 


THE   RIBES. 


delay.  The  place  chosen,  and  the  men  set  to 
work,  my  leisure  time  was  d*^voted  to  collecting. 

The  snow  still  lingered  in  large  patches  about 
the  hollows  and  sheltered  spots.  Save  a  modest 
violet  or  humble  rock-blossom,  no  flower  had 
ventured  to  open  its  petals,  except  the  brilliant 
pink  Bibes,  or  flowering  currant,  common  in 
every  English  cottage-garden. 

Approaching  a  large  cluster  of  these  gay -look- 
ing bushes,  my  ears  were  greeted  with  a  sharp 
thrum — a  sound  I  knew  well — from  the  wings  of 
a  hummingbird,  as  it  darted  past  me.  The  name 
by  which  these  birds  arc  commonly  known  has 
arisen  from  the  noise  produced  by  the  wings 
(very  like  the  sound  of  a  driving-belt  used  in 
machinery,  although  of  course  not  nearly  so  loud), 
whilst  the  little  creature,  poised  over  a  flower, 
darts  its  slender  beak  deep  amidst  the  corolla — not 
to  sip  nectar,  in  my  humble  opinion,  but  to 
capture  drowsy  insect  revellers,  that  assemble  in 
these  attractive  drinking-shops,  and  grow  tipsy 
on  the  sweets  gratuitously  provided  for  them. 
Soon  a  second  whizzed  by  me,  and  others  followed 
in  rapid  succession ;  and,  when  near  enough  to 
see  distinctly,  the  bushes  seemed  literally  to 
gleam  with  the  flashing  colours  of  swarms   (I 


A   QUARRELSOME   PARTY. 


331 


set  to 
ecting. 

about 
nodest 
;r  had 
I'illiant 
ion   in 

y-look- 
i  sharp 
ings  of 
e  name 
vn  has 

wings 
ised  in 
>loud), 
flower, 
[a — not 
but  to 
able  in 
w  tipsy 

them. 
Dllowed 
(Ugh  to 
•ally  to 
rms   (I 


know  no  better  word)  of  hummingbirds  sur- 
rounding the  entire  clump  of  Ribes, 

*  From  flower  to  flower,  where  wild  bees  flew  and  sung, 
As  countless,  small,  and  musical  as  they 
Showers  of  bright  hummingbirds  came  down,  and  plied 
The  same  ambrosial  task  with  slender  bill, 
Extracting  honey  hidden  in  those  bells 
Whose  richest  blossoms  grew  pale  beneath  their  blaze, 
Of  twinkling  winglets  hov'ring  o'er  their  petals. 
Brilliant  as  rain-drops  when  the  western  sun 
Sees  his  own  miniature  beams  in  each.' 

Seating  myself  on  a  log,  I  watched  this  busy 
assemblage  for  some  time.  They  were  all  male 
birds,  and  two  species  were  plainly  discernible. 
Chasing  each  other  in  sheer  sport,  with  a  rapidity 
of  flight  and  intricacy  of  evolution  impossible  for 
the  eye  to  follow — through  the  bushes,  and  over 
the  water,  everywhere — they  darted  about  like 
meteors.  Often  meeting  in  mid-air,  a  furious 
battle  would  ensue ;  their  tiny  crests  and  throat- 
plumes  erect  and  blazing,  they  were  altogether 
pictures  of  the  most  violent  passions.  Then  one 
would  perch  himself  on  a  dead  spray,  and 
leisurely  smooth  his  ruffled  feathers,  to  be  sud- 
denly rushed  at  and  assaulted  by  some  quarrel- 
some comrade.  Feeding,  fighting,  and  frolicking 
seemed  to  occupy  their  entire  time. 


ill 


f. 


I 


;!i 


332 


STUFFED   COMPARED  TO  LIVING  BIRDS. 


I  daresay  hard  epithets  will  be  heaped  upon 
me, — cruel  man,  hard-hearted  savage,  miserable 
destroyer,  and  similar  epithets, — when  I  confess 
to  shooting  numbers  of  these  burnished  beauties. 
Some  of  them  are  before  me  at  this  moment  as 
I  write;  but  what  miserable  things  are  these 
stuffed  remains,  as  compared  to  the  living  bird  ! 
The  brilliant  crests  are  rigid  and  immoveable; 
the  throat-feathers,  that  open  and  shut  with  a 
flash  like  coloured  light,  lose  in  the  stillness  of 
death  all  those  charms  so  beautiful  in  life;  the 
tail,  clumsily  spread,  or  bent  similar  to  the 
abdomen  of  a  wasp  about  to  sting,  no  more  re- 
sembles the  same  organ  in  the  live  bird,  than  a  fan 
of  peacock's  feathers  is  like  to  the  expanded  tail 
of  that  bird  when  strutting  proudly  in  the  sun. 

It  is  useless  pleading  excuses;  two  long  days 
were  occupied  in  shooting  and  skinning.  The 
two  species  obtained  on  this  occasion  were  the 
Red-backed  Hummingbird  (Selasphorus  rufus), 
often  described  as  the  Nootka  Hummingbird, 
because  it  was  first  discovered  in  Nootka  Sound, 
on  the  west  side  of  Vancouver  Island ;  the 
other,  one  of  the  smallest  known  species,  called 
Calliope.  This  exquisite  little  bird  is  mainly 
conspicuous  for  its  frill  of  minute  pinnated  feathers 
encircling  the  throat,  of  most  delicate  magenta 


*  CATCII-EM-ALIVEO.' 


838 


tint,  which  can  be  raised  or  depressed  at  will. 
Prior  to  my  finding  it  in  this  remote  region,  it  was 
described  as  being  entirely  confined  to  Mexico. 

About  a  week  had  passed  away ;  the  bridge 
was  completed,  during  which  time  the  female 
birds  had  arrived ;  and,  save  a  stray  one  now 
and  then,  not  a  single  individual  of  that  numerous 
host  that  had  gathered  round  the  Ribcs  was  to 
be  seen.  They  cared  nothing  for  the  gun,  and 
would  even  dash  at  a  dead  companion  as  it  lay 
on  the  grass ;  so  I  did  not  drive  them  away,  but 
left  them  to  scatter  of  their  own  free  'vvill. 

My  next  camping-place  was  on  the  western 
slope  of  the  Rocky  Mountains,  near  a  lake,  by 
the  margin  of  which  grew  some  cottonwood  trees 
{Salix  scouleriana\  together  with  the  alder  (Alnus 
oregona\  and  the  sweet  or  black  birch  (Betula 
leuta).  My  attention  was  called  to  the  latter 
tree  by  observing  numbers  of  wasps,  bees,  and 
hornets  swarming  round  its  trunk.  The  secret 
was  soon  disclosed:  a  sweet  gummy  sap  was 
exuding  plentifully  from  splits  in  the  bark,  on 
which  hosts  of  insects,  large  and  small,  were  re- 
galing themselves.  As  the  sap  ran  down  over 
the  bark,  it  became  very  sticky,  and  numbers  of 
small  winged  insects,  pitching  on  it,  were  trapped 
in  a  natural  '  catch-'em-alive-O.* 


% 


i 


I 


834 


BLACK-TIIROATED   HUMMINGBIRD. 


I 


I' 


Busily  occupied  in  picking  off  these  captives 
were  several  veiy  sombre-looking  hummingbirds. 
They  poised  themselves  just  as  the  others  did 
over  the  flowers,  and  deftly  nipped,  as  with  deli- 
cate forceps,  the  helpless  insects.  I  soon  bagged 
one,  and  found  I  had  a  third  species,  the  Black- 
throated  Hummingbird  (Trochilus  Alexandri), 
Were  any  proof  needed  to  establish  the  fact  of 
hummingbirds  being  insect-feeders,  this  should 
be  sufiicient.  I  saw  the  bird,  not  only  on  this 
occasion  but  dozens  of  times  afterwards,  pick  the 
insect  from  off  the  tree,  often  killing  it  in  the 
act;  and  found  the  stomach,  on  being  opened, 
filled  with  various  species  of  winged  insects. 

The  habits  of  the  three  species  differ  widely. 
The  Red- backed  Hummingbird  loves  to  flit  over 
the  open  prairies,  stopping  at  every  tempting 
flower,  to  catch  some  idler  lurking  in  its  nectar- 
cells.  Building  its  nest  genei'ally  in  a  low  shrub, 
and  close  to  the  rippling  stream,  it  finds  pleasant 
music  in  its  ceaseless  splash.  Minute  Calliope, 
on  the  other  hand,  prefers  rocky  hillsides  at  great 
altitudes,  where  only  pine-trees,  rock -plants,  and 
an  alpine  flora  *  struggle  for  existence.'  I  have 
frequently  killed  this  bird  above  the  line  of  per- 
petual snow.  Its  favourite  resting-place  is  on 
the  extreme  point  of  a  dead  pine-tree,  where,  if 


GOOD   TACKIXO. 


333 


undisturbed,  it  will  sit  for  hours.  The  site  chosen 
for  the  nest  is  usually  the  branch  of  a  young  pine ; 
artfully  concealed  amidst  the  fronds  at  the  veiy 
end,  it  is  rocked  like  a  cradle  by  every  passing 
breeze. 

The  Black-throated  Hummingbird  lingers 
around  lakes,  pools,  and  swamps  where  its 
favourite  trapping-tree  grows.  I  have  occasion- 
ally, though  very  rarely,  seen  it  hovering  over 
flowers ;  this,  I  apprehend,  is  only  when  the 
storehouse  is  empty,  and  the  sap  too  dry  to 
capture  the  insects.  They  generally  build  in 
the  birch  or  alder,  selecting  the  fork  of  a  branch 
high  up. 

All  hummingbirds,  as  far  as  I  know,  lay  only 
two  eggs ;  the  young  are  so  tightly  packed  into 
the  nest,  and  fit  so  exactly,  that  if  once  taken 
out  it  is  impossible  to  replace  them.  Several 
springs  succeeding  my  first  discovery  that  these 
hummingbirds  were  regular  migrants  to  boreal 
regions,  I  watched  their  anival.  We  were 
quartered  for  the  winter  close  to  the  western 
slopes  of  the  Rocky  Mountains.  The  winters  here 
vary  in  length,  as  well  as  in  depth  of  snow  and 
intensity  of  cold,  33°  below  zero  being  no  un- 
frequent  register.  But  it  did  not  matter  whether 
we  had  a  late  or  early  spring,  the  humming- 


|; 


If 


;  „i!  Ji 


m 


336 


PUNCTUAL  ARRIVALS. 


birds  did  not  come  until  the  Bibe.'i  opened ;  and 
in  no  single  instance  did  two  whole  days  elapse 
after  the  blossoms  expanded,  but  Selasphorus  and 
Calliope  arrived  to  bid  them  welcome.  The 
males  usually  preceded  the  females  by  four  or 
five  days. 

The  Black-throated  Hummingbird  arrives 
about  a  week  or  ten  days  after  the  other  two. 
Marvellous  is  the  instinct  that  guides  and  the 
power  that  sustains  these  birds  (not  larger  than 
a  good  sized  bumblebee)  over  such  an  immense 
tract  of  country  ;  and  even  more  wonderful  still 
is  their  arrival,  timed  so  accurately,  that  the 
only  flower  adapted  to  its  wants  thus  early  in  the 
year  opens  its  hoards,  ready  to  supply  the  wan- 
derer's necessities  after  so  tedious  a  migration! 

It  seems  to  me  vastly  like  design,  and  Fore- 
seeing Wisdom,  that  a  shrub  indigenous  and 
widely  distributed  should  be  so  fashioned  as  to 
produce  its  blossoms  long  before  its  leaves ;  and 
that  this  very  plant  alone  blooms  ere  the  snow 
has  melted  off  the  land,  and  that  too  at  the 
exact  period  when  hummingbirds  arrive.  It 
cannot  be  chance,  but  the  work  of  the  Almighty 
Architect — who  shaped  them  both,  whose  handi- 
work we  discover  at  every  step,  and  of  whose 
sublime  conceptions  we  everywhere  observe  the 


SPECIFIC   CHARACTERS. 


337 


;  and 
elapse 
IS  and 
Th(3 
mr  or 

irrives 
r  two. 
id  the 
r  than 
imense 
ill  still 
at  the 
r  in  the 
e  wan- 
tion! 

Fore- 
is   and 
1  as  to 
s ;  and 
3  snow 
at   the 
e.      It 
nighty 
handi- 
whose 
•ve  the 


manifi'stations  in  the  adminibly-balanced  system 
of  creation ! 

Tlie  specific  characters  of  these  three  species, 
whose  northern  range  I  believe  was  first  defined 
by  myself,  are  briefly  as  foUows : — 

Selasphoi'us  riifiis  (the  Nootka  or  Rcd-l)acked 
Hummingbird). — ]\Ia]e:  tail  strong  and  wedge- 
shaped  ;  upper  parts,  lower  tail-coverts,  and  back, 
cinnamon;  throat  cop[)ery  red,  with  a  well-de- 
veloped ruff^  of  the  same,  bordered  with  a  white 
collar  ;  tail-feathers  cinnamon,  striped  with  pur- 
plish-] )ro^vn.  Female:  plain,  cinnamon  on  the 
back,  replaced  with  green ;  traces  only  of  me- 
tallic feathers  on  the  throat.  Length  of  male, 
3*50;  wing,  1*56;  tail,  1-31  inches.  Habitat: 
West  coast  of  North  America  to  lat.  53°  N.,  ex- 
tending its  range  southward  through  California, 
to  the  Rio  Grande. 

Stellata  Calliope. — Male :  back  bright-green  ; 
wings  brownish;  neck  with  a  ruff  of  pinnated 
magenta-coloured  feathers,  the  lower  ones  much 
elongated;  abdomen  whitish;  length,  about  2*75 
inclies.  Female,  much  plainer  than  the  male,  with 
only  a  trace  of  the  magenta-coloured  ruff. 

Trochilus   Alexaiulri    (Black-throated    Hum- 
mingbird).— Male :  tails  lightly  forked,  the  chin 
and   upper  part   of    the   throat   velvety  black 
VOL.  I.  a 


'   M 


I 


f 

1 

\ 

1  ' 

t 

1 

i 

1    ' 

'    1 

338 


L'ROTKICIIUS   GIBSir. 


t' 


without  metallic  reflections,  which  are  confined 
to  the  posterior  border  of  the  bhick,  und  are 
violet,  chann^ing  to  steel-blue.  Length,  3'30 
inches.  Female,  without  the  metallic  markings ; 
tail-feathers  ti|)[)cd  with  white.  ]5oth  have  the  same 
northern  and  southern  range  as  Selasphoriis  ri(fus. 

Urotrlchus  Gibsii^  Baird  (Western  slope  of 
Cascade  Mountains) ;  Urotrichus  Talpoides^  Tem- 
minck. — This  singular  little  animal,  that  appears 
to  be  an  mtermediate  link  between  the  shrew 
and  the  mole,  at  present  is  only  known  as  an 
inhabitant  of  two  parts  of  the  world,  widely  re- 
moved from  each  other — the  one  spot  being  the 
western  slope  of  the  Cascade  Mountains,  m  North- 
west America,  the  other  Japan.  There  are,  as 
far  as  I  know,  but  two  specimens  extant  from  the 
Cascade  Mountains — one  hi  the  Smithsonian  Mu- 
seum at  Washington,  the  other  a  very  fine  speci- 
men that  I  have  recently  brought  home,  and  now 
in  the  British  ^luseum.*  I  have  carefully  com- 
pared the  Japanese  gentleman  with  his  brother 
from  the  Western  wilds,  and  can  find  no  difference 
whatever,  either  generically  or  specifically.  In 
size,  colour,  shape,  and  anatomical  structure  they 
are  precisely  alike. 

The  habits  of  the  little  fellow  from  Japan  I 

*  Vide  lllustriitiou. 


mfincd 
nd  are 
I,    3-30 
rkinga ; 
lie  same 
s  ntfits. 
lope  of 
5,  Tem- 
appears 
;  shrew 
1  as  an 
dely  re- 
iiig  the 
I  North- 
are,  as 
Tomthe 
ian  Mu- 
le speci- 
ind  now 
\y  corn- 
brother 
fference 
lly.     In 
Lire  they 

Japan  I 


THK  ritoTuiriivs 

(rrotricliii^  ^iil»^iil. 


1 

1 

r 


.1 


I 


n 
1] 
o 
c 
a 

h 
li 


THE   JAPANESE   AND   HIS   BROTHER. 


339 


know  nothing  about,  but  "with  my  friend  from 
the  North-west  I  am  much  more  familiar;  and  I 
shall  endeavour  to  introduce  him  to  you  as  life- 
like as  I  can,  from  what  I  have  jotted  down  in 
my  notebook.  First,  then,  tlie  Urotrichus  is  an 
insectivorous  mammal,  its  size  that  of  a  large 
shrew,  about  two-and-a-quarter  inches  in  length, 
exclusive  of  tail,  which  is  about  an  inch  and  a 
half.  This  tail  is  covered  thickly  with  long  hairs, 
which  at  the  tip  end  in  a  tuft  like  a  line  camcl's- 
hair  pencil,  and  from  this  hairy  tail  it  gets  the 
name,  Urotrichus. 

Its  colour  is  bluish-black  when  alive,  but  in 
the  dried  specimens  changes  to  sooty-brown. 
The  hair  is  lustrous,  and,  where  it  reflects  the 
light,  has  a  hoary  appearance,  and,  as  ^vith  the 
mole,  it  can  be  smoothed  in  either  direction ;  this 
is  a  wise  and  admirable  arrangement,  as  it  enables 
the  animal  to  back  through  its  underground  roads, 
as  well  as  to  go  through  them  head-first.  Its 
nose  or  snout  is  very  curious,  and  much  like  that 
of  a  pig — only  that  it  is  lengthened  out  into  a 
cylindrical  tube,  covered  with  sliort  thick  luiirs, 
and  terminated  in  a  njiked  fleshy  kind  of  bulb  or 
gland;  and  this  gland  is  pierced  by  two  minute 
holes,  which  are  the  nostrils.  Each  nostril  has  a 
little  fold  of  membrane  han^^inf]:  down  over  it  like 

z  2 


340         ORGANISATION   OF   THE   UROTRICIIUS. 

a  shutter,  effectually  preventing  sand  and  minute 
particles  of  dust  from  getting  into  the  nose  whilst 
digging. 

Now  this  curious  nasal  appendage  is  to  this 
miner  not  only  an  organ  of  smell,  but  also  serves 
the  purpose  of  hands  and  eyes.  His  forefeet,  as 
I  shall  by-and-by  show  you,  are  wholly  digging 
implements,  umI,  from  their  peculiar  horny  char- 
acter, not  in  any  way  adapted  to  convey  the  sense 
of  touch.  Eyes  he  has  none,  and  but  a  very 
rudimentary  form  of  ear;  his  highly  sensitive 
moveable  nose  serves  him  admirably  in  the  dark 
tunnels,  in  which  his  time  is  passed,  to  feel  his 
way  and  scent  out  the  lower  forms  of  insect  life, 
on  which  he  principally  feeds.  Had  he  eyes  he 
could  not  see,  for  the  sunlight  never  peeps  in  to 
cheer  his  subterranean  home,  and  sound  reaches 
not  down  to  him.  The  busy  hum  of  insect  life, 
and  the  song  of  feathered  choristers,  he  hears 
not,  so  that  highly-d(iveloped  hearing  appendages 
would  have  been  useless  and  superfluous. 

But  his  nose  in  every  way  compensates  for  all 
these  apparent  deficiencies,  and  shows  us  how 
to  be  admired  is  Creative  Goodness  in  shaping 
and  adapting  the  meanest  and  humblest  of  His 
creatures  to  its  habits  and  modes  of  life.  His 
forefeet  are,  like  the  mole's,  converted  into  diggers; 


DIGGERS   AND   SCRAPERS. 


341 


linute 
whilst 

0  this 
serves 
bet,  as 

i  or  (Tin  Of 
CO      o 

J  char- 
3  sense 
i  very 
nsitive 
le  dark 
eel  his 
jct  life, 
yes  he 
?  in  to 
reaches 
;ct  life, 
3  hears 
jndages 

for  all 
us  how 
shaping 

of  His 
re.  His 
diggers; 


the  strong  scoop-shaped  nail,  like  a  small  garden- 
trowel  at  the  end  of  each  toe,  enables  him  to  dig 
with  wonderful  ease  and  celerity.  The  hind-feet 
are  shaped  into  a  kind  of  scra])er  by  the  toe  being 
curiously  bent,  and  the  length  of  the  hind-foot  is 
about  two-thirds  more  than  the  fore  or  dif:fi:in2: 
hand.  When  I  come  to  his  habits,  as  diflering 
from  the  mole,  I  shall  be  able  to  point  out  the 
use  of  this  strange  scraper-like  form  of  hind-foot. 

So  far  1  have  endeavoured  to  give  you  an  out- 
line of  his  general  personal  appearance,  differing 
from  the  shrew  in  the  peculiar  arrangement  of 
his  feet,  and  from  the  mole  in  having  a  long  hairy 
tail.  His  nearest  relative  (if  at  all  related)  is  the 
Condylura^  or  Star-nosed  !Mole,  whose  nose  has  a 
fringe  of  star-shaped  processes  round  its  outer 
edge,  about  twenty-two  in  numl^er.  The  first 
and  onl}''  place  in  Avhich  I  ever  met  this  strange 
little  fellow  was  on  the  Chilukweyuk  prairies. 
These  large  grassy  openings,  or  prairies,  are 
situated  near  the  Fraser  river,  on  the  western 
side  of  the  Cascade  Mountains.  Small  streams 
wind  and  twist  through  these  prairies  like  huge 
water-snakes,  widening  out  here  and  there  into 
large  glassy  pools. 

The  scenery  is  romantic  and  beautiful  beyond 
description.     Towering  up  into  the  very  clouds, 


, 


1} 


843 


HOME   OF   THE   UROTRICHUS. 


as  a  background,  are  the  mighty  hills  of  the 
Cascade  range,  their  misty  summits  capped  with 
perpetual  snow — their  craggy  sides  rent  into 
chasms  and  ravines,  whose  depths  and  solitudes 
no  man's  foot  lias  ever  trodden,  and  clad  up  to 
the  very  snow-line  with  mighty  pine  and  cedar- 
trees.  The  Chilukweyuk  river  already  referred 
to  washes  one  side  of  the  prairie.  Silvery-green 
and  ever-trembling  cotton-wood  trees,  ruddy 
black-birch,  and  hawthorn,  like  a  girdle,  encircle 
the  prairie,  and  form  a  border,  of  Nature's  own 
weaving,  to  the  brilliant  carpet  of  emerald  grass, 
patterned  with  wild  flowers  of  every  hue  and 
tint, — all  shading  pleasantly  away,  and  losing 
their  brilliancy  in  the  dark  green  pine-trees. 

In  th*.  sandy  banks  on  the  edge  of  the  Chiluk- 
weyuk river,  and  the  various  little  streams  wind- 
ing through  the  prairie-grass,  lives  the  Urotrichus. 
His  mansion  is  a  large  hole,  lined  with  bits  of 
grass,  and  this  hole  is  his  sleeping- "oom  and 
drawing-room.  A  genuine  bachelor,  he  never 
dines  at  home.  He  has  lots  of  roads  tunnelled 
away  from  his  central  mansion,  radiating  from  it 
like  the  spokes  of  a  wheel.  His  tunnels  are  not 
at  all  like  those  of  the  mole ;  he  never  throws  up 
mounds  or  heaps  of  earth,  in  order  to  get  rid  of 
the  surplus  material  he  digs  out,  as  the  mole  does. 


I 


HIS   MANSION. 


343 


and 


but  makes  open  cuttings  at  short  intervals,  about 
four  or  iive  inches  long ;  and  now  we  shall  see  the 
use  of  those  curiously-formed  scraper-like  hind- 
feet. 

As  he  digs  out  the  tunnel  with  his  trowel- 
hands,  he  throws  back  the  earth  towards  his  hind- 
feet  ;  these,  from  their  peculiar  shape,  enable  him 
to  back  this  dirt  out  of  the  hole,  using  them  like 
two  scrapers — only  that  he  pushes  the  dirt  away, 
instead  of  pulling  it  towards  himself.  Having 
backed  the  dirt  clear  of  the  mouth  of  the  hole,  he 
throws  it  out  over  the  edge  of  the  open  cutting ; 
after  having  dug  in  some  distance — and  finding,  T 
daresay,  the  labour  of  backing-out  rather  irk- 
some— he  digs  up  through  the  ground  to  the  sur- 
face, makes  another  open  cutting,  and  then  begins 
a  new  hole  or  tunnel,  and  disappears  into  the 
earth  again.  When  he  has  gone  as  far  from  his 
dormitory  as  he  deems  wise,  he  again  digs  through, 
and  cleai'j  away  the  rubbish.  This  road  is  now 
complete,  so  he  goes  back  again  to  his  centml 
mansion,  to  begin  others  at  his  leisure. 

It  is  very  difficult  to  watch  the  movements 
and  discover  the  feeding-time,  or  what  he  feeds 
on,  of  an  animal  which  lives  almost  wholly  under- 
ground in  the  daytime ;  but  I  am  pretty  sure 
tliese  tunnels  are  made  for  and  used  as  roadways, 


i 


» 


34  i 


HUNTING   TKAILS. 


'i  I 


or  underground  trails  for  the  purpose  of  hunting. 
He  is  a  night-feeder,  and  exposed  to  terrible 
perils  from  the  various  small  carnivora  that  prowl 
about  like  bandits  in  the  dark — stoats,  weasels, 
martens,  and  skunks.  So,  to  avoid  and  escape 
these  enemies,  he  comes  quietly  along  the  sub- 
terranean roadways,  and  cautiously  emerging  at 
the  open  cutting,  feels  about  with  his  wondeiful 
nose ;  and  1  doubt  not,  guided  by  an  acute  sense 
Oi  smell,  pounces  upon  larvaj,  slugs,  beetles,  or 
any  nocturnal  creeping-thing  he  can  catch  ;  and 
so  traversing;  his  different  huntin^j-trails  during 
the  night,  manages  in  that  way  to  fare  sump- 
tuously, and  safe  from  danger.  Turning  in,  to 
sleep  away  his  breakfast,  diimer,  and  supper,  at 
the  first  peep  of  the  grey  morning,  he  dozes  on, 
until  hunger  again  prompts  him  to  make  another 
excursion  on  the  'hunting-path.' 

It  is  scarcely  possible  to  imagine  a  more  skil- 
fully-contrived hunting-system,  to  avoid  danger 
and  facilitate  escape,  than  arc  these  tunnel-trails 
with  open  cuttings ;  for  the  sly  little  hunter  has, 
on  the  slightest  alarm,  two  means  of  flight  at  his 
disposal — one  before  and  another  behind  him; 
and  the  fur,  as  I  have  already  mentioned,  laying 
as  evenly  when  smoothed  from  tail  to  head  as  it 
does  when  turned  in  the  natural  direction,  enables 


EVIDENCES   OF   DESIGN. 


845 


him  to  turn  astern,  and  retreat  tail-first  into  his 
hole  as  easily  as  he  could  go  head-first. 

When  we  contemplate  this  grotesque  and 
strangely-formed  little  creature,  and  see  how 
wisely  and  wonderfully  it  is  fashioned  and  a(lai)ted 
to  its  destined  place,  supplying  another  missing 
link  in  the  great  chain  of  Nature,  we  cannot  but 
feel  God's  power  and  omnipresence.  Feeding  in 
the  dark  and  living  in  the  dark,  eyes  would  have 
been  superfluous;  sound,  save  from  vibration  in 
the  earth,  or  when  hunting  at  the  open  cuttings, 
would  seldom  reach  this  tiny  hermit',  hence  tlie 
hearing  organs  have  no  external  appendage  for 
catching  sounds,  and  are  but  in  a  rudimentary 
foi  m.  Hands  fashioned  into  marvellous  digging- 
tools,  and  hind-feet  turned  into  scra})ers,  for 
getting  lid  of  the  rubl)le  dug  out  with  the  hands, 
and  nose  possessing  smell  and  touch  in  tlieir 
most  exquisite  forms,  these  serve  him  for  guides 
of  unerring  certainty  and  undeviating  precision 
through  his  darksome  wanderings. 


346 


THE    ArLODONTIA   LErORIXA. 


i  ) 


CHAPTER  XIII. 

THE  APLODONTIA  LErOPwlNA.  (Hicii.) 
{Sewellel  or  Sliuw'tl  of  the  Nesquallij  Indiana.) 

Synonyms. — Aphdontia  lepon'na,  Rich.,  F.B.  A.  i.  211,  plato 
xviii. ;  And.  Bach.  N.A.  Qua.  iii.,  iH.'iS,  1)1),  pi.  cxxiil. ; 
lloplodon  IcpnrtHHH,  Wagler  System,  Aiuli.,  1H30  ;  Aninonyx 
rnJU,  Uafinesque,  Am.  Month.  Mag.  ii.  1817  ;  Arrtmni/s 
rvfa,  Harlan,  F.  Am.  1825,  308  ;  Sewellcl,L(iVfiA  and  Clark's 
Travels,  ii.  1815,  176. 

General  ])imensions. — Nose  to  car,  2  in.  7  lines ;  nose  to  eyes, 
1  in.  5  lines ;  tail  to  end  of  vertebra;,  9  lines ;  tail  to  end 
of  hair,  1  in.  2  lines  ;  ear,  height,  5  lines ;  nose  to  root  of 
tail,  11  in.  G  lines. 

I  FIRST  met  with  this  rare  and  curious  little 
rodent  on  the  bank  of  the  Chilukweyuk  river. 
My  canvas  house  is  pitched  in  a  snug  spot,  over- 
shadowed by  a  clump  of  cottonwood  trees,  grow- 
ing close  to  a  stream,  that  like  liquid  crystal 
ripples  past  in  countless  channels,  iinding  its 
way  betwixt  massive  boulders  of  trap  and  green- 
stone, roinided  and  polished  until  they  look  like 
giant  marbles. 

Towering  up  behind  me  are  the  Cascade  Moun- 


,  plate 
xxiii. ; 

lisonyx 
•ctomijs 
Clark's 


o  eyes, 
to  end 
root  of 


little 
Iriver. 
over- 
5P0W- 
rystal 
ig  its 
^reen- 
c  like 


I, 


1 


0U-KA-1.A 

(A)ilailoiitiii  l(>|Miritiu). 


louii- 


T 
I 
S 
t 

t 

II 


? 


CLOSE   OF   THE    INDIAN   SUMMER. 


S47 


tains,  with  snow-cljid  suinmits  dim  in  the  hnzc  of 
distance,  their  craggy  slopes  split  into  chasms 
and  ravines,  so  deep,  dark,  and  lonesome,  that 
no  man's  footfall  has  ever  disturbed  their  soli- 
tudes, so  densely  wooded  up  to  the  very  snow- 
line with  pine,  that  a  bare  rock  has  hardly  a 
chance  to  peep  out,  and  break  the  sombre  mono- 
tony of  the  dark-green  foliage. 

Before  me,  stretching  away  for  about  three 
miles,  is  an  open  griissy  prairie,  one  side  of  which 
is  bounded  by  the  Chilukweyuk  river,  the  other 
by  the  Fraser.  At  the  junction  of  the  two 
streams,  at  an  angle  of  the  pniirie,  stands  an 
Indian  village:  the  rude-plank  sheds  and  rush- 
lodges;  the  white  smoke,  curling  gracefully  up 
through  the  still  atmosphere  from  many  lodge- 
fires;  the  dusky  forms  of  the  savages,  as  they 
loll  or  stroll  in  the  fitful  night,  give  life  and 
character  to  a  scene  indescribably  lovely. 

The  Indian  summer  is  dmwing  to  a  close;  the 
maple,  the  cotton  wood,  and  the  hawthorn,  fring- 
ing the  winding  waterways,  like  silver  cords  inter- 
secting the  prairie,  have  assumed  their  autumn 
tints,  and,  clad  in  browns  and  yellows,  stand  out 
in  brilliant  contrast  to  the  green  of  the  pine- 
forest.  The  praine  looks  bright  and  lovely ;  the 
grass,    as    yet    untouched    by   the    frost-fairy's 


^. 


^^^5. 

o  ;^^>.i^. 


IMAGE  EVALUATION 
TEST  TARGET  (MT-3) 


/i 


7 


1.0 


IM    12.5 


1.1 


■alii 

■  4.0 


■  2.2 

IIS 

lU 

u 


12.0 

li 


|l.25||..4      ,6 

^ 

6"     

► 

Photographic 

Sciences 

Corporalion 


23  WIST  MAIN  STRIET 

WnSTER.N.Y.  14S»0 

(716)S72-4S03 


I^> 


z 


"W 


348 


JUNGLE    SILENCE. 


fingers,  waves  lazily ;  wild  flowers,  of  varied  tints, 
peep  out  from  their  hiding-places,  enjoying  to 
the  last  the  lingering  summer. 

I  had  been  for  some  time  sitting  on  a  log, 
admiring  the  sublime  beauty  of  the  scene,  spread 
out  before  me  like  a  gorgeous  picture;  the  sun 
was  fast  receding  behind  the  hilltops,  the 
lengthening  shadoAvs  were  fading  and  growing 
dimly  indistinct,  the  birds  had  settled  down  to 
sleep,  and  the  busy  hum  of  insect  life  was 
hushed.  A  deathlike  quiet  steals  over  every- 
thing in  the  wilderness  as  night  comes  on — 
a  stillness  that  is  painful  from  its  intensity. 
The  sound  of  your  o^vn  breathing,  the  crack  of 
a  branch,  a  stone  suddenly  rattling  down  the 
hillside,  the  howl  of  the  coyote,  or  the  whoop 
of  the  night-owl,  seem  all  intensified  to  an  un- 
natural loudness.  I  know  of  nothing  more  ap- 
palling to  the  lonely  wanderer  camping  by  himself 
than  this  *  jungle  silence,*  that  reigns  through  the 
weary  hours  of  night. 

This  silence  was  suddenly  broken,  as  was  my 
reverie,  by  a  sharp  ringing  whistle;  it  was  so 
piercing  and  clear,  that  I  could  not  believe  it 
was  produced  by  an  animal.  Hardly  had  it  died 
away,  when  another  whistler  took  it  up,  then  a 
third,  and  so  on,  until  at  least  a  dozen  had  joined 


A  PUZZLER. 


349 


in  the  chorus.  I  stole  carefully  in  the  direction 
from  which  the  sound  came,  but  as  I  neared  the 
spot  the  whistle  ceased,  and  it  was  now  far  too 
dark  to  descry  any  object  on  the  ground.  So,  in 
doubt,  and  sorely  puzzled  to  account  for  such  an 
unusual  sound,  and  with  a  firm  determination  to 
unravel  the  mysteiy  in  the  morning,  I  returned 
to  my  camp.  Could  it  be  Indians?  No,  im- 
possible ;  there  were  far  too  many  whistlers,  and 
the  tone  of  each  whistle  was  precisely  alike.  I 
was  equally  sure  it  was  not  the  cry  of  the 
rock-whistler  (Actomys);  that  sound  I  knew 
too  well.     What  could  it  be? 

As  the  grey  light  of  morning  came  peering 
into  my  tent,  I  started  off  to  investigate  the 
secret  of  the  mysterious  whistler ;  but  all  I  could 
discover,  after  a  long  and  diligent  search,  was, 
that  there  were  numerous  runs  and  bmTows  ex- 
cavated in  the  sandy  banks  of  the  river,  but  by 
what  sort  of  animal  I  could  not  for  the  life  of  me 
guess.  Setting  a  steel-trap  at  the  entrance  to 
one  of  the  holes,  I  strolled  down  to  the  Indian 
village,  thinking  I  should  possibly  be  able  to  find 
out  from  the  redskins  what  it  was  that  made  such 
shrill  sounds.  Partly  by  signs,  and  by  using  as 
much  of  their  language  as  I  knew,  I  endeavoured 
to  make  the  old  chief  comprehend  my  queries. 


f^ 


7' 


350 


THE   OU-KALA. 


After  attentively  watching  my  absurd  attempts 
to  produce  a  ringing  whistle  by  placing  my 
fingers  in  my  mouth,  and  blowing  through  them 
until  my  face  was  like  an  apoplectic  coachman's,  a 
smile  of  intelligence  lit  up  his  swarthy  visage : 
then  I  violently  dug  imaginary  holes,  and  ex- 
plained that  the  sounds  came  about  twilight ;  he 
nodded  his  he-'^d,  dived  into  the  tent,  and  dis- 
appeared in  the  smoke,  to  shortly  emerge  again 
with  a  rug  or  robe,  made  from  the  skins  of  an 
animal  that  was  quite  new  to  me. 

It  was  beautifully  soft,  glossy,  and  brown. 
The  skins  were  about  the  size  of  a  large  rat's,  and 
about  twenty  in  number.  Here,  then,  was  the 
dawn  of  a  discovery.  He  called  the  animal  Ou- 
ka-la,  and  made  me  understand  that  it  lived  on 
roots  and  vegetable  matter,  and  burrowed  holes 
in  the  ground. 

As  the  daylight  faded  out,  I  again  took  my 
seat;  and,  just  as  before,  when  everything  was 
silent;  the  woods  echoed  with  the  Ou-ka-la's  cry. 
I  longed  for  morning,  and  hardly  waited  for 
light,  but  hastened  oif  to  my  trap ;  and,  joy  of 
joys,  I  had  one  sure  enough,  caught  by  the  neck. 
Poor  Ou-ka-la  !  your  friends  had  heard,  and  you 
had  given,  your  '  last  whistle.'  He  was  dead  and 
cold — trapped,  perhaps,  whilst  I  listened  won- 


U^ 


SPECIFIC   CHARACTEKS. 


851 


deringly,  keeping  my  lonely  vigil.  A  very  brief 
examination  revealed  the  fact  that  I  had  caught 
a  magnificent  specimen  of  the  Aplodontia  leporina, 
of  which  I  had  only  read. 

Captains  Lewis  and  Clark  obtained  some  vague 
information  about  this  animal,  which  is  given  in 
their  journal  of  travel  across  the  Rocky  Moun- 
tains, in  1804.  All  they  say  of  its  habits  is, 
'  that  it  climbs  trees,  and  digs  like  a  squirrel.' 
They  obtained  no  specimen  of  the  animal,  but 
saw,  probably,  robes  made  of  the  skins.  It 
was  subsequently  described  by  Rafinesque,  and 
by  him  named  Anysonyx  rufa^  and  by  Harlan 
Arctomys  rufa.  In  1829  Sir  John  Richardson 
obtained  a  specimen,  and,  after  a  careful  anato- 
mical examination,  this  eminent  naturalist  deter- 
mined it  to  be  a  new  genus,  and  renamed  it, 
generically  and  specifically.  The  generic  name 
{Aplodontia)  is  founded  on  its  having  rootless 
molars,  or  grinding  teeth — aploos^  simple ;  odons^ 
a  tooth.  It  belongs  to  the  sub-family  Castorince, 
dental  formula  I  Z  u  22. 

Sp.  ch. — Size,  that  of  a  musk-rat;  tail  veiy 
short,  barely  visible ;  colour,  glossy  blackish- 
brown.  Male,  length  about  14  inches;  female 
resembling  the  male,  but  smaller.  The  fur  is 
dense  and  woolly,  with  long  bristly  hairs,  thickly 


.; 


352 


SKULL   AND   TEETH. 


f 


'^:, 
f 


interspersed ;  the  short  fur  is  bluish-gray  at  the 
base,  the  ends  of  the  hairs  being  tipped  with  red- 
dish-brown; the  bristles  are  black,  and  when 
smooth  give  a  lustrous  appearance  to  the  fur. 
The  eyes  are  very  small,  and  placed  about  mid- 
way between  the  nose  and  the  ear.  The  whis- 
kers, stiff  and  bristly,  are  much  longer  than  the 
head,  and  dark  grey.  The  ears  are  covered  on 
both  sides  with  fine  soft  hair,  rounded  and  very 
short,  and  not  unlike  the  human  ear. 

Skull. — The  skull  is  much  like  that  of  the 
squirrel's,  with  the  marked  exception  of  having 
rootless  molars,  and  the  absence  of  post-orbital 
processes;  the  occipital  crest  is  well-developed, 
the  muzzle  large,  and  nearly  round.  The  bony 
orbits  are  largely  developed ;  the  auditory  bulla) 
are  small,  but  open  at  once  into  wide  auditive 
tubes ;  the  first  molar  is  unusually  small,  oval, 
and  situated  against  the  antero-internal  angle  of 
the  second.  All  the  molars  are  rootless:  the 
lower  grinders  are  much  like  the  upper,  but 
somewhat  longer  and  narrower.  The  molars  in 
both  jaws  are  situated  much  farther  back  than  is 
usual,  the  centre  of  the  skull  being  about  oppo- 
site to  the  meeting  of  the  second  and  third.  The 
lower  jaw  is  very  singularly  shaped,  the  inner 
edges   of  the   molars  on  opposite  sides  being 


CHISELS   THAT   DO   NOT   REQUIRE    GRINDING.    353 


!  inner 


parallel ;  the  descending  ramus  is  bent,  so  as  to 
be  exactly  horizontal  behind,  the  postero-inferior 
edge  being  a  straight  line,  nearly  perpendicular 
to  the  vertical  plane  of  the  skull's  axis.  The 
conformation  of  the  incisor-teeth  is  admirably 
adapted  to  the  purposes  they  have  to  fulfil ;  no 
carpenter's  gouging  chisels  are  more  effective 
tools  than  are  these  exquisitely-constructed  teeth. 
It  is  essential  that  they  should  always  have  a 
sharp-cutting  edge,  in  order  to  nip  through  the 
tough  vegetable  fibre  on  which  the  animal  sub- 
sists ;  at  the  same  time,  strength  and  durability 
are  indispensable.  The  Aplodontia  has  no  whet- 
stone or  razor-grinder,  to  sharpen  his  tools  when 
they  grow  blunt;  but  an  Allwise  Providence  has 
so  fashioned  these  wondrous  chisels  in  all  rodents, 
that  the  more  they  are  used  the  sharper  they  keep ; 
the  contrivance  is  simple  as  it  is  beautiful.  The 
substance  of  the  tooth  itself  is  composed  of  tough 
ivory,  but  plated  on  the  outer  surface  with  ev* 
mel  as  hard  as  steel.  The  ivory,  being  the 
softer  material,  of  course  wears  away  faster  than 
the  enamel ;  hence  the  latter,  plating  the  front  of 
the  tooth,  is  always  left  with  a  sharp-cutting 
edge. 

The  position  this  genus  should  occupy,  in  a 
systematic  arrangement  of  the  rodents,  has  always 


tii 


VOL.    I. 


A  A 


S54 


THE   APLODONTIA. 


u 


i 


> 


;i-^ 


been  a  stumbling-block  and  a  matter  of  doubt,  in 
great  measure  attributable  to  the  fact  that  but  a 
single  species  of  the  genus  is  known,  and  very 
few  specimens  have  hitherto  been  obtained.  A 
fine  male  specimen  has  recently  been  set  up  in 
the  British  Museum  collection,  that  I  caught  near 
my  camp  on  the  prairie.  • 

In  many  particulars  the  Aplodontia  very  nearly 
resembles  the  Spermophiles,  particularly  the 
prairie-dog  (  Cynomys  Ludovicciana),  but  differs, 
as  in  the  true  squirrels,  in  the  rootless  molars  and 
absence  of  post-orbital  processes.  In  this  respect 
it  is  allied  to  the  beaver.  It  is  quite  impossible 
to  assign  it  a  well-defined  and  settled  position, 
«ntil  a  greater  number  of  specimens  are  pro- 
cured, from  which  more  minute  and  careful  exa- 
mination of  the  bony  and  internal  anatomy  can 
be  made.  At  present,  however,  it  would  appear 
•to  connect  the  beavers  with  the  squirrels,  through 
the  Spermophiles. 

The  name  Lewis  and  Clark  gave  this  animal, 
Sewellel,  is  evidently  a  corruption  of  an  Indian 
word.  The  Chinook  Indians,  once  a  powerful 
tribe,  live  near  the  mouth  of  the  Columbia ;  and 
from  them,  in  all  probability,  Lewis  and  Clark 
obtained  the  name,  and  first  heard  of  the  animal. 
But  the  Chinook  name  for  the  Aplodontia  is  Og- 


A   MINER. 


855 


ool-laly  Shu-wal-lal  being  the  name  of  the  robs 
made  from  the  skins ;  and  this  is  unquestionably 
the  word  corrupted  into  Sewellel,  and  misused  as 
the  name  of  the  animal.  In  Puget's  Sound  the 
Nesqually  Indians  call  it  Show'tl;  the  Yakama 
Indians,  Squal-lah;  and  the  Sumass  Indians, 
Swok-la. 

A  single  glance  at  the  conformation  of  the  feet 
would  at  once  convince  the  most  careless  ob- 
server that  climbing  trees  was  not  a  habit  of  the 
Aplodontia.  The  feet  and  claws  are  digging  im- 
plements, of  the  most  finished  and  efiicient  kind : 
the  long  scoop-shaped  nails,  resembling  garden 
trowels ;  wide  strong  foot,  almost  hand-like  in  its 
form ;  the  strong  muscular  arms,  supported  by 
powerful  clavicles,  proclaim  him  a  miner;  his  mis- 
sion is  to  burrow,  and  most  ably  he  fulfils  his 
destiny.  His  haunt  is  usually  by  the  side  of  a 
stream,  where  the  banks  are  sandy,  and  the 
underbrush  grows  thickly;  his  favourite  food 
bein^';  f;ne  fibrous  roots,  and  the  rind  of  such  as 
are  too  hard  for  his  teeth.  He  spends  his  time  in 
burrowing,  not  so  much  for  shelter  and  conceal- 
ment, as  to  supply  himself  with  roots.  He  digs 
with  great  ease  and  rapidity,  making  a  hole  large 
enough  for  a  man's  arm  to  be  inserted. 

In  making  the  tunnels,  he  seldom  burrows  very 


356 


ITS   HABITS. 


far  without  coming  to  the  surface,  and  beginning 
a  new  one.  Like  a  skilful  workman,  he  knows 
how  to  economise  labour.  Having  to  back  the 
earth  out  of  the  mouth  of  the  hole  he  is  digging, 
the  farther  he  gets  in  the  harder  grows  the  toil ; 
and  so  he  digs  up  through,  and  starts  afresh. 
They  seldom  come  out  in  the  daytime,  and  I  have 
but  rarely  heard  them  whistle  until  everything 
was  still,  and  the  twilight  merged  into  night. 

The  female  has  from  four  to  six  young  at  a 
birth,  and  she  has  about  two  litters  in  a  year. 
The  nest  for  the  young  is  much  like  that  of  the 
rabbit,  made  of  grass  and  leaves,  and  placed  at 
the  end  of  a  deep  burrow.  In  the  winter  they 
only  partially  hybernate,  frequently  digging 
through  the  snow  to  eat  the  bark  and  lichen  from 
the  trees.  Their  gait  when  on  the  ground  is 
very  awkward;  their  broad  short  feet  are  not 
litted  for  progression,  and  they  shamble  rather 
than  run,  and  can  be  easily  overtaken.  Where  a 
colony  of  them  have  resided  for  any  time,  the 
ground  becomes  literally  riddled  with  holes,  and 
the  trees  and  shrubs  die  for  want  of  roots.  I 
imagine,  from  having  found  abandoned  villages, 
that  they  wisely  emigrate  when  their  resources 
are  exhausted.  The  Indians  esteem  their  flesh  a 
great  luxury,  and  trap  them  in  a  kind  of  figure-of- 


WHAT   USE   IS   THE   OU-KA-LA? 


357 


four  trap,  set  at  the  mouth  of  the  burrow.  1 
daresay  they  are  as  good  as  a  rabbit ;  still,  they 
have  too  ratlike  an  appearance  to  possess  any  gas- 
tronomic attractions  for  me.  De  gustibus  non 
est  disputandum. 

The  Aplodontia  has  a  terrible  and  untiring 
enemy  in  the  badger  (Taxidea  Americana).  He 
is  always  on  the  hunt  for  the  poor  little  miner, 
digs  him  out  from  his  hiding-place,  and  devours 
him  with  as  much  gusto  as  the  Indian.  Its  geo- 
graphical range  is  not  very  extended,  being,  as 
far  as  I  know,  confined  to  a  small  section  of  North- 
western America.  I  have  seen  it  on  the  eastern 
and  western  slopes  of  the  Cascades,  but  not  on 
the  Rocky  Mountains,  although  it  very  probably 
exists  there.  It  is  also  found  at  Puget's  Sound, 
Fort  Steilacum,  and  on  the  banks  of  the  Sumass 
and  Chilukweyuk  rivers,  west  of  the  Cascades ;  on 
the  Nachess  Pass,  at  Astoria  and  the  Dalles,  on 
the  Columbia,  east  of  the  Cascades. 

Feeding  entirely  on  vegetable  matter  (I  never 
discovered  a  trace  of  insect  or  larvae  remains  in 
the  stomach),  passing  its  life  principally  in  dark 
burrows,  and  limited,  as  far  as  we  know  at  pre- 
sent, to  a  very  narrow  section  of  a  barren 
country,  it  is  hard  to  imagine  what  purpose  it 
serves  in  the  great  chain  of  Nature,  save  it  be  that 


MS 


WHO  CAN  TELL? 


of  supplying  food  to  the  badger,  and  both  food  and 
clothing  to  the  savage ;  and  yet  we  know  that 
it  was  fashioned  for  some  specific  purpose,  if  we 
could  but  read  and  rightly  interpret  the  pages  of 
Nature's  wondrous  book.  If  we  ask  ourselves, 
Why  was  this  or  that  made?  how  seldom  can  we 
answer  the  question !  Why  did  He,  who  made  the 
world,  the  sun,  and  the  stars,  deck  the  butterfly's 
wing  with  tiny  scales,  that  by  a  simple  change  in 
arrangement  produce  patterns  beside  which  the 
most  finished  painting  is  a  bungling  daub?  Why 
exist  those  microscopic  wonders,  (diatoms  and  in- 
fusoria,) formed  with  shells  of  purest  flint,  and 
of  the  quaintest  devices?  Why  were  these  ato- 
mies, that  tenant  every  roadside  pool,  which 
dance  in  the  sunbeam,  and  float  on  the  wings 
of  the  breeze?  Why  all  the  prodigal  variety  of 
strange  forms  crowding  the  sea,  forms  more 
wonderful  than  the  poet's  wildest  dreams  ever 
pictured?    Who  can  tell? 

END   OF  THE  FIRST  VOLUME. 


LONDON 

PBINTID    BT    SPOTTIBWOODI    AHO    00. 

NKW-STBKIT    SQUABS 


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