FISHERIES OF THE GREAT LAKES IN 1885. 59 



eight of the gill-net crews now use small lines, averaging, perhaps, five 

 hundred hooks each, which they fish in connection with their gill-nets 

 during the summer months. They keep these in the water most of the 

 time, visiting them about three times a week to remove the fish and re- 

 bait the hooks. 



Secondary products. — Sturgeon are not abundant, and for this reason 

 no caviare or isinglass is prepared. Formerly a small quantity of fish- 

 oil was made,, but for the past two years none of the fishermen have 

 saved any. No fish are smoked, except by fishermen for home supply, 

 and the quantity prepared for this purpose is insignificant. 



24. L'ANSE AND BARAGA, BARAGA COUNTY, MICHIGAN. 



Physical features. — The little sheet of water known as L'Anse Bay is 

 formed by the alternate contraction and expansion of Keweenaw Bay 

 at its inner end. It is nearly circular, and about 6 miles in circumfer- 

 ence, having several small tributary streams, which are resorted to by 

 sportsmen from other places, who altogether catch several thousand 

 pounds of brook-trout each season with hook and line in these waters. 



The villages and their inhabitants. — The village of L'Anse, the county 

 seat of Baraga County and a railroad center, is located on the south- 

 eastern shore of the bay, and the new settlement of Baraga is directly 

 opposite upon the northwestern shore. Considerable business was 

 formerly done at L'Anse in the way of iron mining, but the supply of 

 ore grew so low that the mining ceased to be profitable and was 

 abandoned. The population is about 1,000, mostly half-breeds and In- 

 dians, many of whom are engaged in fishing. The present occupations 

 are quarrying and lumbering. Baraga has sprung into existence since 

 1882. Its only business is lumbering, and it has several large saw-mills. 



Decline of the fisheries. — Fisheries of greater or less extent have been 

 carried on in L'Anse Bay since the first settlement was made upon its 

 shores, many years ago; but of late years the catch has been rapidly 

 decreasing, owing, it is supposed, to the sawdust and waste wood from 

 the mills, which, being thrown into the waters, becomes water-soaked and 

 covers the bottom, thus preventing the fish from finding sufficient food. 

 In the summer of 1880 the gill-net fishermen made good profits, but 

 since that time there has been a great scarcity of fish. 



/Statistics. — In 1885 there were seven pound-nets fished by fourteen 

 men and worth, with shore houses and accessory apparatus, $2,620. 

 Thirty-eight gill nets, worth, with the boats used in setting them and 

 the drying-reels, $512, were used in the summer and tall, and twenty 

 gill-nets, worth, including necessary ice-boats, $280, were fished under 

 the ice in the winter of 1884-'85. Forty Indians, with apparatus worth 

 $440, fished with hand-lines under the ice, and ten more made a living 

 by spearing trout, their shading blankets, spears, and decoys having a 

 total value of $65. The dip-net fishing employed two men, with appa- 

 ratus worth not more than $25. 



