516 REPORT OF COMMISSIONER OF FISH AND FISHERIES. 



caught and used, I think it proper to give a short description of its na- 

 ture. My personal observations were confined to the coast of Peru, 

 nearly every point of which I visited, from the 3d to the 22d degree 

 southern latitude ; but my remarks will, in a great measure, also apply 

 to the coast of Chili, Ecuador, and Colombia as far as the Isthmus of 

 Panama. 



This whole coast is bounded on the west by the South Pacific. The 

 mountain range of the Andes follows the coast-line in its whole extent, 

 and at a distance of only seventy miles reaches its greatest height, 

 15,000 to 20,000 feet. A great deal of water flows from these high 

 snow-clad mountains, especially during .summer, but on account of the 

 very steep incline no rivers have been formed. The little stream and 

 brooks, of which there are a great many, rush so violently over their 

 stony beds towards the coast, that no plants can thrive and no fish live 

 in their waters. There are, consequently, no fresh-water fish, and all 

 the fish which occur in Peru are salt-water fish. 



The Pacific is richer in fish than any other sea, and this is caused by 

 its peculiar natural conditions. A current runs along the entire coast, 

 from south to north , beginuiug as a surface-current on the west coast of 

 Patagonia, near Cape Horn, and bringing the cold waters of the Antarctic 

 Ocean as far as the northern boundary of Peru. At this point the cur- 

 rent leaves the coast and runs in a westerly direction to the Gallapagos 

 Islands, where it loses itself. This cold current, which has a tempera- 

 ture of not more than 12° to 14° Eeaumur, produces the remarkably 

 temperate climate on these coasts which lie within the tropic zone, but 

 which have seldom any greater heat than we have in Denmark during 

 summer ; and as the air is drier the heat is not near as oppressive. But 

 what is of more interest to us is the circumstance that this cold current 

 of the sea contains an almost incredible wealth of fish. The fish which 

 occurs in the most surprising numbers is the herring; but the coast 

 waters swarm with innumerable other fish, c. //., the mackerel, the cod, 

 and others. Eich oyster-beds are found in many places, and oysters of 

 the most excellent quality are so plentiful that they sell for 18 to 26 

 cents a barrel in Callao and Lima. 



The enemies offish, however, are just as numerous, especially among 

 the aquatic animals. An incredible number of seals, sea-lions, porpoises, 

 sharks, and other large ash chase the schools of smaller fish ; and the 

 seals particularly gorge themselves among the dense schools of herrings. 

 Seals and sea lions are found everywhere at a distance of about two 

 miles from the coast, rarely farther out; their places of retreat are in- 

 accessible rocks on the coast or out at sea. Here they lie or sit sunning 

 their enormous bodies, when they are notjengaged in hunting fish. They 

 are so tame that scores and hundreds of them will follow a boat at a 

 distance of only 2 to 3 fathoms and often closer, and hold their inquisi- 

 tive heads close up to the side of the boat. As they are of no special 

 value, no one chases them. 



