ifELsoN] SINKERS, SEINES, AND TRAPS 183 



are three upright spines, projecting slightly outward, carved from the 

 same piece, which serve as additional hooks for capturing fish that 

 may gather around, attracted by the white ivory. This sinker has 

 been used in fishing for toracod and other small fish. In the deep 

 water off the headlands, from Golofuin bay to Cape Nome, large crabs 

 are very abundant ; sometimes specimens are seen measuring three feet 

 from tip to tip of their outstretched claws. They are caught during 

 March and April by the use of a bait of dead fish tied to the end of a 

 line and sunk to the bottom through a hole in the ice. In March, 1880, 

 near Cape Darby, I saw large numbers of people fishing for crabs by 

 this method, and on the 10th of March, west of Cape Darby, I found a 

 party of about twenty-five peoijle, from Sledge island, who had been 

 starved out at home and were camping there, living on the tomcod and 

 crabs, which were abundant. Their crab lines were fastened to small 

 sticks set in the snow beside the holes in the ice, thus enabling one 

 person to watch several holes. When the crab seized the bait the 

 stick was moved sufiQciently to attract the attention of the watcher, 

 who at once drew in his line. Small snow shelters were built beside 

 the holes to protect the fishermen from the wind; they were open on 

 one side and had a crescentic base with the convexity toward the direc- 

 tion of the wind, while some of them were partially arched over. The 

 crabs were so plentiful that one day, soon after my arrival, a man and 

 a woman came in bringing about tVo hundred pounds, which they had 

 taken during the day. 



As soon as the ice leaves the coast of Norton sound, in June, herrings 

 arrive and spawn on the seaweed about the rocky points and shores of 

 the small bays. At this time many of them are caught by means of 

 small seines made from rawhide or sinew cord; but about the latter 

 part of June commences what to these people is the most important of 

 all fishing seasons. This is the time for the arrival of the salmon. The 

 king salmon enter the rivers first, and are followed during the season 

 by two or three smaller species of inferior quality. Along the entire 

 coast, from the Kuskokwim to Point Barrow and up Kuskokwim and 

 Yukon rivers, the Eskimo are very busy during July and August 

 catching and curing these fish. The cleaning is done by the women. 

 The fish are split from the head to the base of the tail, the entrails 

 removed, and the fish thrown over a raised framework and left hanging 

 until dry, when they are stored away in bales or bunches. The large 

 king salmon (chow-chee), after being split, are slashed crosswise at short 

 intervals to open the flesh and thus facilitate drying; the backbone is 

 also generally removed and dried separately. When dry, the smaller 

 species, called dog salmon, are always tied in bunches of twenty, and 

 are stored or sold in this shape. 



FISH TRAPS 



Along the entire seacoast salmon are caught in gill nets, which are 

 placed at intervals along the shore. On lower Yukon and Kusko- 



