THE PACIFIC SALMON. 63 



and struck one of the squaws in the mouth with all his might. 

 A moment later he was lying on his back with the blood flow- 

 ing in a stream from his nose. Evidently the white men ex- 

 pected to receive no presents from Skool. 



When we arrived at the falls we witnessed a sight almost 

 beyond belief. The falls were more of a rapid than a fall, 

 having a descent of ten feet in twenty-five. The stream was 

 about eight feet wide and two feet deep, and was one living, 

 writhing, struggling mass of Salmon. They were passing up 

 in a continuous body. It was a continuous run of Salmon 

 from the Frazer River, six miles away, to the mountain lake, 

 three miles beyond. Nattrass stood like one petrified, and 

 gazed on the scene in astonishment. So much noise did 

 they make that, combined with the roar of the mountain 

 stream, we could scarcely hear each other speak. 



I looked at Skool, who stood holding his swollen nose, and 

 saw that he wished me to begin operations at once; so, taking 

 my rifle, I fired the twenty-five shots that it contained into the 

 struggling mass that was forcing its way up the rapid. 

 Nattrass did the same. Soon the living became entangled 

 with the dead, and the whole mass came to a stand-still. Has- 

 tily reloading our magazines, we awaited the result. Soon the 

 jam was broken; the living forcing themselves up the stream, 

 and the dead ones floating back. Skool and the squaws, wading 

 into the stream, caught the latter and threw them on the bank. 



Again we emptied our magazines, with like results. The 

 excitement became great, and the heap of Salmon on the 

 bank became large. Again, again, and again were the maga- 

 zines filled and emptied, until our supply of cartridges was 

 exhausted; but that did not occur before there was at least a 

 ton of Salmon lying on the bank. Then, at a word of com- 

 mand from Skool, each of the women, slinging fifteen of the 

 fish on a bark rope (they would average about twelve pounds 

 each), threw the bundle of fish over her shoulder and ambled 

 off down the path to the rancherie. 



