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British Columbia is watered by very large rivers. The Fraser is the largest. KE.^SO. 



It is a great salmon river. Some of the Fraser salmon are the same as those in 



England and some are different. The salmon run up from April to July in 



large quantities. Has seen nothing like it in this country. They spawn 



in August. Never saw them in the head waters of the river, but perhaps 



as high as 200 miles from the sea. Has seen them in the tributaries. They 



run down in September. Has seen thousands of diseased salmon in the 



Harrison river, 60 miles from the mouth of the Fraser. Has seen them in 



September and October. Has seen a white spot of fungus sometimes the 



size of his thumb, sometimes quite covering the fish. Some fish were quite 



dead, others dying. Some had red ulcerated sores. 



[Specimens produced of diseased salmon prepared by Mr. Stirling. ,] 



Has seen thousands of heads like the specimens produced. The fish lie 

 stinking on the banks. Cannot say if they have spawned. It is the same 

 every year. There is no pollution and no drainage. The Indians spear the 

 fish on the Fraser river. 



Was there 10 years. Some years it was worse. Believes the worst years 

 were warmer. In the spawning season the river is not frozen. It is frozen 

 in the winter. Fish are left in the lagoons and bays in the river. The 

 temperature is much the same in August as it is here. The winter is much 

 more severe. Plenty of good salmon could be obtained in the Pitt river, 30 

 miles below. Has seen farmers manuring the land with dead salmon. There 

 are a few settlers here and there. They supply New Westminster and other 

 towns. The land is arable. There are no sheep. Was on the Harrison river 

 or one of its tributaries in 1861. The fish are sometimes /Olbs. in weight. A 

 good fish is 30 lbs. Large fish of 30 lbs. were usually affected. There was one. 

 run of fish from 7 to 9 lbs. each, which he never saw diseased. They ran up 

 in June. The majority escape disease. The larger proportion of the larger 

 fish are diseased. The fish were just the same as the specimens produced. 

 Some would have just a spot, others would be covered with fungus. 



Knows the " dog salmon " with a hook nose. 



The trade between British Columbia and England is chiefly in timber. 



A tremendous number of fish die after the spawning season. 



Noticed when going north on the Fraser that the Indians have large dams, 

 and baskets are let down and the openings are never left till the run of fish 

 has ceased. There is a tremendous run of fish. Never saw any disease there. 

 The temperature of the Ballacoula and Homathco rivers is much colder than 

 that of the Fraser. Never saw diseased fish there. 



The Harrison is two and a half miles wide. It is quite shallow. Its sources 

 are in lakes with a high temperature. It is there that the disease is found. 

 From Harrison lake to Fraser river is 16 miles, and the fish lie stinking there. 

 Eagles, hawks, and all birds wait for the fish. Knew the late Mr. John 

 Keast Lord. Agrees with his description of the disease given in his book "The 

 Naturalist in British Columbia." 



Since he came to Scotland he has seen just the same thing in the Esk. 



The Indians live on salmon. 



Thinks, speaking of the Esk only, that the Esk is overstocked as a salmon 

 liver. Thinks the open season for the rod should extend to the end of 

 November. The kelts in the spring should all be destroyed. The Esk is 

 stocked in Canobie water equal in proportion to the Harrison. 



Thinks the disease in the Harrison is caused by overstocking. In the 

 Homathco there are not as many fish as in the Harrison. The run into the 

 Harrison is good for the fish and they run up to spawn in enormous numbers. 

 The water is polluted by dead kelts. 



