SALMONOIDE^E. 159 



wooden trough, and some bits of wood or small branches placed over them ; the 

 pieces of fish are then put in, a little water added, and the whole covered with 

 mats until the fish is cooked. The second mode is broiling the salmon. The 

 intestines are taken out, and two or three bits of Avood inserted into the body of the 

 fish to keep it expanded transversely ; a stronger stick is passed through the tail 

 and head, and its lower end stuck into the ground at a convenient distance from 

 the fire. The salmon is to the north-west Indians what the cerealia are to us, the 

 fishing' season being their harvest. During the summer the natives reside near the 

 coast, or on the banks of rivers in which the salmon are abundant, and occupy 

 themselves in curing the fish for winter use. They cut two long and broad slices 

 from each side of the fish, dry it in the shade, and eat them like bread. Vast 

 quantities are thus prepared, and though no salt is used it forms a palatable food, 

 which I have often eaten. Sometimes the dried fish is broken down, kept in bags, 

 and eaten by handfuls, when it may be called the pemmican of the north-west 

 coast. After the salmon season the Indians retire inland with their abundant 

 store. 



" Pennant says the Kamtschatka salmon die Avithout returning to the sea, after 

 spawning. I never heard such an opinion mooted on the north-west coast, and 

 saw nothing to confirm it ; but as the streams which the American salmon ascend 

 are often extremely shallow, and as they spawn in Observatory Inlet during the 

 months of July and August, when the water is at the lowest, I should suppose that 

 great numbers must perish from emaciation (for their flesh then becomes white, or 

 at least a great deal less red and of bad quality), and from the extreme difficulty 

 they must experience in returning to the sea from the want of water, and perhaps 

 from its high temperature. Thousands must also be devoured by the osprey, the 

 white-headed eagle, and the otter, in the fresh waters, and by the seals in the sea, 

 so that I should think few survive. I am unable, however, to say whether any 

 return to the sea or not ; or whether the large teeth drop and the incurvated snout 

 returns to its former dimensions. The females want the large teeth, and so do the 

 males before spawning, at least I saw none with large teeth in the Columbia in 

 April or May. We left that river in June, and did not return until September." 

 (Scouler, in lit.) 



The following extract from Sir Alexander Mackenzie's Journey to the Pacific, 

 describes the mode in which the salmon roe is prepared for food by the natives of 

 New Caledonia. " He took the roes out of a bag, and having bruised them be- 

 tween two stones, put them in water to soak. His wife then took a handful of dry 

 grass in her hand, with which she squeezed them through her fingers ; in the 



