PACIFIC COAST: CALIFORNIA. 615 



"The mariner of catching herring is simple. Each boat, manned by two men, though occasion- 

 ally there are three in a boat, is rowed out into the deeper parts of the bay. The fishermen then 

 cast their nets over into the water. These nets are about 240 feet long and 14 to 1C feet in width. 

 On the upper side there are cork buoys at intervals of about 2 feet the entire length of the net, 

 which serve to keep it floating. On the opposite side of the nets are pieces of lead, which serve to 

 keep the net perpendicular. The herrings move in vast schools and run against the tide. When 

 they meet the nets they experience no difficulty in running their heads through the meshes, but 

 owing to the peculiar shape of the fish and the size of the meshes in the nets they can get no 

 farther. To go back is equally impossible, as when they try this their gills expand. Struggle as 

 he may, the fish is fast. After the tide has run against the nets for a certain length of time, they 

 are hauled slowly into the boats, and in one net are frequently found enough fish to load a single 

 craft. It is then rowed to the dock, and the fish, after being put into the boxes, are carried either 

 to the wholesale fish market on Clay street, from whence they are distributed among the retailers, 

 or are sold to the persons who are engaged in salting, drying, and smoking them. 



"Besides the herring fishing in the bay, there are caught vast numbers of smelt, flounders, 

 tomcod, sturgeon, shark, &c., all of which are generally relished for food, except the latter. Even 

 the fins of the shark are eaten by Chinamen, before and after drying, and are by them esteemed a 

 great delicacy as much of a delicacy as a Chinaman would be to a shark. The sturgeon is unwit- 

 tingly confounded with sea-bass by restaurant keepers, as many people can testify. The nation- 

 alities of those engaged in bay fishing are represented by Austrian, Italian, and Greek, of whom, 

 perhaps, there are over one hundred constantly at work. They are a hardy, vigorous people, who 

 despise fear, and are only perfectly at home when on the water. 



"The larger boats spoken of are those engaged in deep-sea fishing, which is a very different 

 thing from bay fishing. These boats do their work outside the Heads in the ocean, and sometimes 

 they run as far down the coast as Santa Cruz. The boats are stanch crafts and can live in almost 

 any sea, although they sometimes meet with a serious disaster, as we shall presently see. They are 

 almost entirely decked over, so that they can come very near rolling over without shipping any 

 water. On these there are from three to five men who fish with long, stout lines. These lines are 

 from 300 to 500 feet in length. To each line is attached innumerable hooks, which are very strong. 

 The hooks are placed about 2 feet apart, and to the end of the line is attached a heavy stone, 

 which will sink it to the bottom. When the fishing ground is reached the boats are brought to, 

 or, if possible, anchored, and the lines, after the hooks have all been baited, are thrown overboard. 

 A large tin can is attached to the lines, and, when sealed tightly, serves as a good float. After 

 a while the float will indicate to the fishermen that something is fast and the line is pulled into 

 the boat; and it rarely happens that there is not from half a dozen to thirty or forty large fish on 

 one line. After the fish have been unhooked the hooks are again baited and thrown overboard. 

 When the day is good and everything is propitious, one boat's crew is kept very busy, as each one 

 has half a dozen or more lines out at once. The fish caught outside are rock cod, California <<!- 

 fish, sometimes halibut, and a few other kinds. 



"These outside fishermen, as they are termed, are Greeks, Spaniards, and Italians. They, 

 too, are hardy and venturesome, and will brave old ocean in his wrath when necessary, without 

 the slightest fear. But one fatal calamity has taken place among these fishermen in the past year. 

 The story of the affair is related by G. Copollo, the wharfinger, and is as follows : Last season one 

 of these boats was out on the ocean near Point de Rey, when in the afternoon a sudden squall 

 came on and the waves ran so high that one came aboard and nearly filled the boat with water. 

 So much was she loaded and so near sinking did she come, that the three men who were in her had 



