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lor) 
FISH HARVESTING. 
rivers north of it to the Arctic Ocean, salmon 
ascend in prodigious abundance. In the Fraser 
there are no obstructions as far as Fort Hope to 
the salmon ascent ; hence fishing is carried on by 
each village or family for themselves, and not by 
the combined labour of many, as on the Colum- 
bia. Near the mouth of the river large iron gaff- 
hooks are generally used; with these ugly weapons 
salmon are hooked into the canoes. Higher up, 
at the mouths of the Sumass, Chilukweyuk, and 
other tributary streams, they use a very ingenious 
kind of net worked between two canoes, with 
which large numbers of salmon are taken. Stages, 
too, are hung over the eddies from the rocks, 
and round nets used as at the Cascades. 
On the Nanimo river the Indians have a very 
ingenious contrivance for taking salmon, by con- 
structing a weir; but, instead of putting baskets, 
they pave a square place, about six feet wide and 
fourteen feet long, with white or light-coloured 
stones. This pavement is always on the lower 
side of the weir, leading to an opening. A 
stage is erected between two of these paved 
ways, where Indians, lying on their stomachs, can 
in an instant see if a salmon is traversing the 
white paved way. <A long spear, barbed at the 
end, is held in readiness, and woe betide the 
