NATIONALITY AND GENERAL CHARACTERISTICS. 41 



oars. They are not shipped in double rowlocks after the American method, bul work on a single 

 pin which passes through the loom of the oar. With the nets piled up in the stern, and the crew 

 at their places, the cockswain, using a large steering-oar, guides the boat to the long flats of the 

 Oakland and Alameda shores, the principal fishing grounds, where the shoals of smelt and her- 

 ring, which abound here at high water, are encircled by the nets. Stationary nets and seines are 

 also used — one to lay all night, or for some hours, and the other for immediate and active work. 

 At sunset, after drawing the nets, they row home and spread the catch on the shore, ready for 

 the next day's drying. The journey home is accompanied by a song, if the catch has been a large 

 one, or only a grunt, if poor. 



"The shores of Islay Creek are the choice of the Chinese fishermen who live on the San Fran- 

 cisco side of the bay. Clams, smelt, and shrimp constitute their catch at low tide, and their man- 

 ner of procuring the former is extremely remarkable. Either a long plank or ten square pieces of 

 wood are placed under the feet, and using them in the same manner as snow-shoes the fisherman 

 makes very fair time over the mud. His basket or light boat is pushed along to receive, the shell- 

 fish as he picks them up, and before the tide has quit falling his shrimp-net does good service. 

 Their cabins border on the creek, and have the same characteristics, though perhaps on a larger 

 scale, as their fellows at the entrance to the San Antonio. But in addition to preparing fish for 

 transportation to China, they supply, in a great measure, the market in the Chinese quarter, but 

 (heir fishing ground has not the same size or quality of smelt that are found over the flats on the 

 other side."* 



Chinese in Washington Territory. — In Washington Territory there are thirty-three 

 Chinamen engaged in fishing. About Cape Flattery and Quartermaster's Harbor there are 

 twelve; neat Port Madison there are fifteen engaged in drying fish. They also buy from the 

 Indians. Especial value is set upon flounders, but salmon are held by them in small esteem. At 

 Port Gamble and Ludlow there are six Chinamen who occupy their time in fishing from the 

 wharves. They catch a large quantity of dogfish. 



Chinese in the salmon canneries of Oregon. — On the Columbia River, Oregon, as many 

 as three thousand Chinamen are engaged in the salmon canneries. 



After the salmon have been thrown into a heap on the wharf, the Chinamen cut off the heads, 

 tails, and fins, and remove the viscera. Some Chinamen become so expert at this branch of the 

 work that they can thus clean 1,700 fish per day. After the fish have been washed and cut into 

 •seel ions they are split into three pieces by the Chinamen, one piece being large enough to fill a 

 can, the others smaller. These fragments are placed on tables, at which the Chinamen stand 

 ready to pack them. Other Chinamen put on the covers, while yet others solder them, where this 

 operation is not done by machinery. 



The Chinese thus do the bulk of the? work at the salmon canneries. The supervisors, foremen, 

 and bookkeepers are, however, white men. The fish-cutters, if expert, receive from 840 to $45 per 

 month. The majority receive §1 per day of eleven hours, and work as required; that is, leaving 



* Worse than Se.a-Lioxs. — Our l*»<ji,sl;itnr<^ lias attempted to protect the salmon in our rivers by repealing the 

 law protecting seals. It is asserted that the seals destroy the salmon which come down annually from the upper rivers 

 to salt, water. This maybe true, but opinions are conflicting. However that may be, there is an enemy to the salmon 

 far more dangerous than the round-eyed seal and that is the busy Chinaman. Only a lew days since we watched 

 the modus operandi of catching fish in our San Joaquin. Two Chinese junks, or schooners, appeared in the river, each 

 holding an end of a remarkably fine net. The schooners then separate and sweep the waters with the net to the shore. 

 Fish of all sizes are thus caught, and none, not tho smallest salmon trout, are ever returned to the water. Those too 

 small for market are thrown on the shore or fed to poultry. It is said by those familiar with the Chinaman's mode of 

 fishing that these fine nets leave no young salmon behind, and are far greater enemies to their propagation than 

 seals. — I Antioeh Ledger, California, July 6, 1876. 



