142 FISH HARVESTING. 
CHAPTER, VI. 
HALIBUT FISHING — DOGFISH —A TRIP TO FORT RUPERT — 
RANSOMING A SLAVE—A PROMENADE WITH A REDSKIN—BAGGING 
A CHIEF'S HEAD—QUEEN CHARLOTTE’S ISLANDERS AT NANAIMO, 
Hatisut.—The Halibut, a giant amongst flat- 
fishes, is taken by the Indians on the western 
side of Vancouver Island; a veritable ground- 
feeder, frequenting deep-sea sandbanks, and de- 
vouring anything and everything that comes 
within reach of his terrible mouth. The halibut, 
at Vancouver Island, attains to an immense size, 
300 lbs. being no unfrequent weight. 
The Indians are most skilful in securing this 
leviathan of the deep, as I had an opportunity 
of seeing, when visiting the northern end of the 
island. Picture to yourselves an Indian village, 
built on a plateau overlooking an open road- 
stead; a crowd of Indians on the shingly beach, 
watching the departure of a large canoe, manned 
by four savages, awaiting my arrival. This being 
a special occasion, they were more elaborately 
