XFW MlllAI. I'.HXriXCS 135 



rt'i;i()ii, a sense of the mists and tl:e (lani|)iiess. Tlie allenlidii centers on 

 the boat l)iiil(ler, who is aliont lo (h-op froni loiii; wooden t()n<;;s a re(l lioi 

 stone inte tlie water withui the eano<' iVoni which rises swirling steam, 

 while the ylow Ifoin the emher Hre ilinmines his well-(h"\'elo|)ed li<,nn'e and 

 reveals an intensely interested face. The elond of steam <ii\-es life and 

 nioviMnent and plays a stroiit;- part in the pictorial composition an<l color 

 scheme, while the (htliisinu' mist \'eils snliordinalc iletail and hohls all in 

 harmonious relation. 



TllK TIIIKI) I'AIX'UNG 

 Thr Biiffrr Mdhrr.s 



In this delightful composition, which Mr. Taylor calls "The Butter 

 Makers," we find the culachon industry illustrated with much detail. This 

 jrroup of hu.sy Tsimshian is placed in a semi-realistic landscape of ii;reat 

 heatity. We discern the flanks of moimtains veiled hy cloud masses, and 

 the green sloi)es that reach down to the shore of the Nasse River. The 

 stream is splendid at this i)oint near its mouth where the candlefish come 

 in from the sea. The culdchon or candlefish are caught during March and 

 April in great numbers with dip nets and rakes or with seines. 



This party in the pictiu'c has made a temporary camp here in the "lean- 

 to" at the left, to harvest the rmi. Two methods of preservation are 

 indicated. At the right a man is hanging culachon to dry. The other and 

 more impcirtant process is the extraction of the oil, which is a. greatly \alued 

 delicacy used like butter by these people. This oil and the dried cuhtc/ion 

 are exchanged up and down the coast by those Indians so fortiuiate as to 

 control the catch. 



To extract the oil, the fish are permitted to decom])ose slightly, after 

 which they are placed in boxi's of water and kept at the boiling point by the 

 use of red hot stones. The oil is then skinnned ofV as it rises to the surface, 

 and so ])recions is it that e\'en the residue is worked o\er. 



The column of light smoke at the left of the painting and the glow of the 

 ember fire indicate the heating of th(> stones. The woman with the tongs 

 is about to take one of these stones to keep the water boiling in the boxes, 

 and the old woman at the box with the straining mesh is working o\-er the 

 residue. 



These (|uite literal facts ai'c expressed simply while the i)alance of the 

 comjjosition in line and color mass is well maintained. The artist has 

 investefj the whole decoration with poetic charm and the treatment of the 

 clouds, smoke and steam is masterlv. 



