haps 500 miles or more from salt water, they may not have
strength to return. Jordan says the spring fish run over 2000 miles in
some rivers. But from spawning-grounds only distant a few miles they can
easily return, as could also the smaller species, unless, which seems
very unlikely, the act of procreation is fatal in itself. Still, the
fact remains that I have never seen a kelt in British Columbia nor heard
of one, nor does there seem to be any return stream of migration in
winter or early spring, a feature which could not escape notice if it
occurred to any considerable extent. Therefore if any fish return it
must be only a few scattered individuals, not one in a million of the
swarms seen passing upwards.

The Indians along the Fraser catch these fish by standing on certain
rocks with a large dip-net, by which they catch a considerable number as
the fish pass upwards.

In the first week of July or thereabouts the silver and blue-back salmon
appear, and the canneries at the Fraser mouth begin work. This is the
sockeye run, which is always very large, but varies in different years,
every fourth year being an extra large one. Drift-nets are employed by a
large number of boats, which may catch in one night thirty to eighty or
more fish, for which they get about 15 cents. apiece from the canneries.
The season lasts till about the end of August, when the run falls off,
and is succeeded by the run of the humpback and dog salmon, which are of
no commercial value. Indians, white men, and Japanese are employed, and
the mouth of the Fraser is a scene of great activity, while on the
American side large fish traps are employed in which many thousands of
salmon are caught at one haul. The following will give some idea of the
work of the canneries.:--

ANNUAL PACK FOR SIX YEARS.

1897 1,027,204 cases (48lb).
1898 492,657 " "
1899 765,517 " "
1900 606,530 " "
1901 1,236,156 " "
1902 625,982 " "

The first news of the approach of the sockeye is generally brought to
Vancouver or some other coast city by some sailing ship or steamer which
has encountered them in the straits of San Juan or the Gulf of Georgia.
Often strange stories are told of moving through a vast salmon army,
perhaps seven miles broad and of unknown length, all heading straight
for the Fraser's mouth, from their unknown feeding-grounds in the North
Pacific. Wild as some of thes