ALBATROSS EXPLORATIONS; ALASKA, WASHINGTON, AND OREGON, 55 
were the prevailing species at this season, being taken daily in the channels opposite 
the town by the Greek and Italian fishermen. There are several squads of these men 
who go out in large, unwieldy, broad-sterned boats, which they laboriously but 
patiently propel from the landings to the seining grounds at each high tide, whether 
in the day or night. 
The salmon seemed to be sufficiently plentiful to supply the demands of the town 
and to keep the few canneries in this vicinity in operation most of the time. A favorite 
amusement of the towns-people is trolling for salmon, which is done with fair success 
directly in front of the city wharves. Many Indians also fish for salmon in dug-out 
canoes of their own manufacture. 
The salmon fishermen and salmon nets . — There are about three hundred Austrian, 
Italian, Greek, and Scandinavian fishermen in Seattle and vicinity. The greater num- 
ber of these are now engaged in fishing for the canneries, of which there are three 
within a radius of 5 miles of the city. Purse seines and gill nets chiefly are used for 
taking salmon in Puget Sound. Fish traps were introduced into the region in 1888 
by a Mr. Felters, formerly a fisherman on the Great Lakes. Purse seines were first 
employed in the Sound two years ago, and it is stated that they were brought here by 
the Chinese. They do not diifer materially from the mackerel seine of the eastern 
coast, except in the addition of an apron which is hauled under the bunt in pursing. 
Some of the seines, however, are said not to have the apron. These seines are 200 
fathoms long, 25 fathoms deep in the bunt, and 20 fathoms in the wings; they have a 
3-inch mesh. The twine used in their construction is of three sizes, Nos. 12, 15, and 
18; No. 12 being used in the bunt. No. 15 at each side of the bunt, and No. 18 in the 
wings. The foot-line is heavily leaded, and the bridles are about 10 feet long. One 
and one-half inch Eussian hemp is used for the purse line. The rings through which 
the purse line is rove measure about 5 inches in diameter, and are made of small-sized 
galvanized iron. 
The Puget Sound fishermen claimed that this style of purse ring was superior to 
that used uiiou the mackerel seines of the eastern coast. They had given the mack- 
erel purse rings fair trial and were forced to abandon them, as the purse line would 
invariably draw twine into the rings, thereby preventing the pursing of the seine. 
Schools of salmon were often lost from this cause. A subsequent examination of some 
of the condemned “ Gloucester rings,” as they were called, showed them to be of the 
small composition make, such as were employed at one time on the shoal” or small 
seines. This kind of ring has not been in use by the mackerel fishermen for eight or 
ten years, having been given up by them for the same reason explained above. There 
is no apparent reason why the modern mackerel purse ring would not work to advan- 
tage on the salmon purse seines of Puget Sound. 
The time is not far distant when the combination of Oriental ideas which now 
prevail in this region will give way to the modern improvements which the American 
fishermen are bringing with them to the Pacific coast. It will, however, probably take 
some time to overcome the prejudice which now exists against the introduction of new 
methods of fishing, as the Greek and Italian fishermen are very conservative and 
look with disfavor upon any change from the old ways. 
The salmon boats, method of stowing the seines, etc . — The boats used in the salmon 
fishery are about 25 feet long and 7 feet wide, the greatest width being at the stern, 
which is square. The bottom is flat, but turns up slightly at the stern. These boats 
