28 FISHING WITH THE FLY. 



to those of the Columbia River and elsewhere, caught in 

 brackish water. During the season of 1879 there were 

 packed at this cannery, 144,000 Ibs. of fish ; the 

 largest catch of any one day was 36,000 Ibs. (over 16 

 tons) ; the greatest quantity canned, 9,000 Ibs. ; the 

 largest fish obtained, 51 Ibs. ; and the average weight 

 12 Ibs. The cost of the fish can be estimated at 

 less than one cent per pound. Just what " dogging " 

 is, I don't know. McCauley's opinion, which was 

 shared by many others familiar with the fishing, is that 

 it is a sickness indicated by a change of form and 

 color, produced by contact with fresh water, and that 

 the most hideously hump-backed, hook-jawed, red and 

 purple garbosha, was once a straight- backed, comely 

 fish ; which, if true, upsets some theories. All I 

 know about it is, that previous to the advent of the 

 garboshas, in August, no change of form and color is 

 observable in any of the fish, none of which enter the 

 streams. During August, at the same time and place 

 in the creeks, there can be seen garbosha salmon in all 

 stages of the transformation, and the change in form 

 and color is coincident. Some are silvery and nearly 

 straight; others tarnished, and with slight elevation 

 of back ; others red, with greater protuberance ; and 

 finally, some purple-red, with fully developed humps, 

 which more than double their height above the median 

 line ; and these monsters the Indians like best, and say 

 that they are better for smoking than any other. 

 Another idea which I had imbibed in regard to salmon, 



