INVESTIGATIONS IN MISSISSIPPI, LOUISIANA, AND TEXAS. 



299 



A brief account of a trip which we took on the Shamrock, Captain 

 Hanson, belonging to Mr. John Dalton, will be useful in conveying a 

 proper conception of the fishery. We left Morgan City at noon, April 

 19, passing up the Atchafalaya River, through Grand Lake, Chicot 

 Pass, Lake Chicot, and into Bayou Chene, where we tied up for the 

 night at Mr. Charles Larson's, about the only house on dry land that 

 was seen during the entire trip. Next morning we passed out of Bayou 

 Chene into Lake Mangoulois, then through Bayou Tensas, Upper Grand 

 River, Whisky Bayou, Bayou de Glaise, Bayou Alabam (Alabama 

 Bayou), to Bayou des Ourse, where we tied up in the woods alongside 

 the house-boat of William Kleiupeter. The next morning we went from 

 Bayou des Ourse by another route into Whisky Bayou, then through 

 Bayou la Rompe, Bayou la Rose, Butte a la Rose, Little Atchafalaya 

 River, Upper Grand River, Bloody Bayou, Bayou Sorrel, and Jakes 

 Bayou, thence back to Morgan City through Lake Chicot, Chicot Pass, 

 Grand Lake and Atchafalaya River. 



During this trip of about 180 miles fish were purchased from 25 fish- 

 ermen. The amounts paid each fisherman varied from 70 cents to $18, 

 the average being $6.84. The total fare collected on this trip was 

 therefore about 25 boxes. The fares of two other tugs the same week 

 were respectively 13 and 16 boxes. It was noticed on this trip that a 

 good many fish die before reaching Morgan City. Some die even in the 

 fishermen's live-boxes. The goujon seems much more hardy than the 

 blue cat, as none of that species died on this trip, while more than 100 

 of the blue cats died. The goujon is said also to be a better shipper 

 than the other species. When the tug returns to Morgan City it 

 leaves its car alongside its company's fish-house. The fish are then 

 taken out and dressed and barreled for shipment. The dressing con- 

 sists in cutting off the head, removing the viscera, and skinning the 

 fish, after which it is washed, and then barreled with ice for shipment. 

 The principal shipments are made to Texas, Oklahoma, Kansas, Mis- 

 souri, Colorado, and New Mexico. 



During the summer months the loss from the fish dying in the live- 

 cars and the difficulty of shipping them in good condition usually 

 cause the tugs to stop ruuning or to make fewer trips between June 1 

 and September 1. While some fishing is carried on during summer, 

 the season may properly be regarded as extending from September 1 



to June 1. 



The catfish industry at Morgan City had its beginning about 1873. 

 Not much was done, however, for several years. Complete statistics 

 are not obtainable for any year previous to 1892, but we have been 

 able to obtain complete statistics for the years 1892 to 1897, inclusive, 

 of the catfish shipped from Morgan City. These are exhibited in the 

 following table. The fish shipped from Morgan City are caught chiefly 

 at various places above that town. Indeed, the Morgan City boats go 

 within a few miles of Melville. 



