290 REPORT OF COMMISSIONER OF FISH AND FISHERIES. 
1892 two others were bought and one was built in Seattle, too late for 
use during that year, all of which were to be put into this fishery in 
the following season. 
Whales are pursued in large canoes that often go 15 or 20 miles 
from the shore. Only harpoons and lances are employed by the Indians 
in the whale fishery. After being killed, the whale is buoyed with large 
air bags made from the skins of sea lions and towed to the shore, where 
it is soon cut up and divided among the tribe. The blubber is cut into 
long, narrow strips and smoked for later use as one of their favorite 
articles of food. 
The Indian, almost from infancy, is familiar with the canoe and its 
management. Very young children are often noticed dexterously 
manipulating the paddle in miniature canoes, and during youth the 
greater part of the life of the Indians is spent in their canoes. Strange 
to say, however, they do not feel safe on the deck of a vessel and seldom 
become good sailors. Even in the fur-seal fishery in which the Indians 
are the owners of the vessels employed, they never go any distance 
from land without having a white man aboard as navigator. 
On returning from a fishing trip, the work of the Indian fisherman 
ceases until he again enters his canoe. The women meet the boats as 
soon as they land and attend to all the details connected with the care 
and preservation of the catch. 
The canoes used by the Indians are all made of red cedar, each from 
a single log. Canoes of different sizes are employed in the different 
fisheries, the standards being about as follows: 
Dimensions and crews of Indian canoes, Neah Bay. 
Fisheries in which employed. Length. Beam. | Crew. 
Feet. Feet 
Salone ce scce massa demstaee od foes ome eee caine eecles Sunn OE eee ERE Eee 10 2ito3|] 1to2 
Halibut ces eet s ME Seta Vek ee See 8 aed Pee eee ee oe ieee ee 30 to 33 5 | 4to6 
Wihale = o.2 Seca se 2 i sapere bas Aare Tei Oe On ee ee eee Oe ee ee see 35 to 40 6to7 8 
UT ISOR sco secre wis stasere ceo nee eel ee ee ee eee Aine 22: 24 2 
The quantities and values of the products taken by the Indians of 
Neah Bay when fishing in their canoes were as follows, the figures 
applying to each of the years 1889 to 1892, inclusive. In addition to 
the products shown, the Indians of the same tribe and county living 
on the Quillaiute River took 300 fur seals, valued at $2,700, and a large 
amount of fish for local consumption of which no estimate can be given. 
1889. 1890. 1891. 1892. 
Species. 
Pounds. | Value. | Pounds. | Value. | Pounds. | Value. | Pounds. | Value, 
aD Where set nes see nee 300, 000 | $4,500 | 280,000 | $4,200 | 290,000 | $4,350 | 325,000] $4, 875 
A IMOM seca eee cciae eee 48, 000 720 35, 000 525 42, 000 630 60, 000 900 
Cod (cultus and black) -.... 100,000 | 1,500 90,000 | 1,350 85,000 | 1,275 87, 000 1, 305 
TROGKNSH Ae sess soo seces cs 10, 000 150 15, 000 225 15, 000 225 25, 000 75 
Winalesi sc. - ss 5 number. . (4) 8c0 (3) 600 (12) 2, 400 (3) 600 
Total’. hs 7025.6 3. 458,000 | 7,650 |- 420,000 | 6,900 | 432,000 | 8,880 | 497,000| 8,055 
