PACIFIC COAST FISHERIES. 



233 



Silchs River. — This river is of some iiuportauce to the rancliers living 

 near by, who depend on it for their supply of fish food, and some years 

 a small quantity of fish is salted for market. In 1888, 20,000 pounds 

 of fresh salmon were sold to a cannery on Coquille Elver, and in 1889 

 60,000 pounds to a cannery on Elk Iviver. In 1891-92 no fish were 

 taken except those consumed locally by ranchers. The output of this 

 stream in recent years has been as follows : 



Salted. 



Pounds. 



1887 45,000 



1888 1 12, 000 



1889 1 20, 000 



1890 1 30,000 



Fresb. 



Pounds. 



20, 000 

 60, 000 



Total. 



Pounds. 

 45, 000 

 32, 000 

 80, 000 

 30, 000 



Ulk River, — For a short time each year this stream is fished by a few 

 ranchers living- near its mouth. The river has only a small run of sal- 

 mon, and is so inconveniently situated that its fisheries will probably 

 never have very much importance. In recent years the catch of the 

 ranchers has amounted to only about 50 barrels of salt fish. In 1889 a 

 cannery was established in connection with a steam sawmill at the 

 mouth of the river. Some 900 cases of salmon were canned, but the 

 business proved unsatisfactory and was not resumed. The output of 

 the Elk Eiver since 1887 has been as follows: 



Sea-otter hunting. — In 1891 the high price of sea-otter pelts led to 

 the formation of two bands of hunters in Curry County. Twelve men, 

 armed with rifles and using two sail and three row boats, skirted the 

 coast from Cape Blanco to Eogue Eiver, Aveather permitting, during 

 March and April and August and September. At night the men camp 

 at some desirable point. Some of their camping stations are located 

 near high bluffs that have a fringe of timber along the ridge overlook- 

 ing the sea. Such a spot near the feeding-grounds of the otter is a 

 favorite place for a camp, for in the branches of some tall pine the 

 hunter has his lookout station. A few boughs are chopped off and 

 made into a comfortable resting-place up among the branches, and here 

 one of the hunters will lie for hours, concealed by the thick foliage 

 from view of shore or sea animal. His lofty location gives him an 

 uninterrupted sea view for miles. His boat is close at hand. In case 

 an otter shows up within range of a rifle, it is shot, and the hunter or 



