FISHERIES OF THE PACIFIC COAST. 103 
Mention has been made of the fact — an important one so far as the 
welfare of the men is concerned — that vessels fishing off the coast of 
Alaska can refit at the shore stations when necessary. Those fishing 
at the Okhotsk are not so favorably situated ; the fishing grounds are 
10 to 40 miles from land, usually off' the mouths of small rivers or 
creeks that empty into barred and inaccessible harbors; the vessels 
must ride out gales or scud away to sea; wood and water are generally 
procurable, and occasionally some poor beef or a bear may beobtained, 
but other provisions or supplies are not available on that bleak and 
barren coast. 
Apparatus, methods of capture , halt , etc . — Hand lines are exclusively 
used in the Okhotsk and Bering Seas, and the system of u dory fishing” 
is also in vogue. This method is precisely similar to the dory hand- 
line fishing for cod on the banks of the western Atlantic. A large num- 
ber of small dories are carried by each vessel, and a single fisherman 
goes in each boat. Standing in the center of the dory (which is only 
about 13 feet long on the bottom and a little over 16 feet on top), he 
throws out a line on each side, and the fish taken are put into the ends 
of the craft until she is loaded, when they are taken to the vessel and 
pitched on deck for dressing. The time occupied in loading a dory 
varies, according to the abundance of fish, from a few hours to a whole 
day; sometimes only scattering cod can be taken, not enough to half 
fill a boat, though this is comparatively rare on Pacific fishing grounds.* 
It has been found impracticable to set trawls in Bering Sea. The 
schooneT Constitution tried to use them in 1887, and the attempt was 
repeated by the Arago in 1888. But no satisfactory results were 
obtained, because of the great abundance of sea fleas (amphipod crus- 
taceans) on the bottom. These active scavengers not only swarmed 
upon the bait, but they inj ured or devoured the cod before the trawls 
could be hauled. 
The hand lines used are similar to those employed in dory hand-line 
fishing on the Atlantic, but rigged with less care and neatness. Cap- 
tain Tanner says : 
The fishing leads are made by the crews of the vessels, and therefore do not com- 
pare in finish with those of New England. The lines are not tarred, and soon show 
signs of wear. Patent swivels are apparently unknown ; none of the crew of the 
Arago had ever seen or used them ; but after the method of working them and their 
advantages had been explained the fishermen expressed their intention of giving 
them a trial next year. The dories correspond in shape and size with those used 
upon the eastern coast, the only perceptible difference being that the stem, timbers, 
and planking are a trifle hoavier. They are manufactured in San Francisco by 
Lynde & Hough. Galvanized-iron rowlocks are used instead of thole-pins. 
Shore cod fishing is wholly carried on in dories, this method bringing 
the best returns for the money invested. It would be impracticable to 
* Captain Slocum says that even the inexperienced men he had on the Palo , uoue of 
whom had previously seen a codfish, easily caught an average of 500 fish per day 
(earning $12.50) when the fishing w'as best. 
