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Tales of the Fish Patrol



by Jack London












WHITE AND YELLOW







San Francisco Bay is so large that often its storms are more

disastrous to ocean…going craft than is the ocean itself in its

violent moments。  The waters of the bay contain all manner of fish;

wherefore its surface is ploughed by the keels of all manner of

fishing boats manned by all manner of fishermen。  To protect the

fish from this motley floating population many wise laws have been

passed; and there is a fish patrol to see that these laws are

enforced。  Exciting times are the lot of the fish patrol:  in its

history more than one dead patrolman has marked defeat; and more

often dead fishermen across their illegal nets have marked success。



Wildest among the fisher…folk may be accounted the Chinese shrimp…

catchers。  It is the habit of the shrimp to crawl along the bottom

in vast armies till it reaches fresh water; when it turns about and

crawls back again to the salt。  And where the tide ebbs and flows;

the Chinese sink great bag…nets to the bottom; with gaping mouths;

into which the shrimp crawls and from which it is transferred to

the boiling…pot。  This in itself would not be bad; were it not for

the small mesh of the nets; so small that the tiniest fishes;

little new…hatched things not a quarter of an inch long; cannot

pass through。  The beautiful beaches of Points Pedro and Pablo;

where are the shrimp…catchers' villages; are made fearful by the

stench from myriads of decaying fish; and against this wasteful

destruction it has ever been the duty of the fish patrol to act。



When I was a youngster of sixteen; a good sloop…sailor and all…

round bay…waterman; my sloop; the Reindeer; was chartered by the

Fish Commission; and I became for the time being a deputy

patrolman。  After a deal of work among the Greek fishermen of the

Upper Bay and rivers; where knives flashed at the beginning of

trouble and men permitted themselves to be made prisoners only

after a revolver was thrust in their faces; we hailed with delight

an expedition to the Lower Bay against the Chinese shrimp…catchers。



There were six of us; in two boats; and to avoid suspicion we ran

down after dark and dropped anchor under a projecting bluff of land

known as Point Pinole。  As the east paled with the first light of

dawn we got under way again; and hauled close on the land breeze as

we slanted across the bay toward Point Pedro。  The morning mists

curled and clung to the water so that we could see nothing; but we

busied ourselves driving the chill from our bodies with hot coffee。

Also we had to devote ourselves to the miserable task of bailing;

for in some incomprehensible way the Reindeer had sprung a generous

leak。  Half the night had been spent in overhauling the ballast and

exploring the seams; but the labor had been without avail。  The

water still poured in; and perforce we doubled up in the cockpit

and tossed it out again。



After coffee; three of the men withdrew to the other boat; a

Columbia River salmon boat; leaving three of us in the Reindeer。

Then the two craft proceeded in company till the sun showed over

the eastern sky…line。  Its fiery rays dispelled the clinging

vapors; and there; before our eyes; like a picture; lay the shrimp

fleet; spread out in a great half…moon; the tips of the crescent

fully three miles apart; and each junk moored fast to the buoy of a

shrimp…net。  But there was no stir; no sign of life。



The situation dawned upon us。  While waiting for slack water; in

which to lift their heavy nets from the bed of the bay; the Chinese

had all gone to sleep below。  We were elated; and our plan of

battle was swiftly formed。



〃Throw each of your two men on to a junk;〃 whispered Le Grant to me

from the salmon boat。  〃And you make fast to a third yourself。

We'll do the same; and there's no reason in the world why we

shouldn't capture six junks at the least。〃



Then we separated。  I put the Reindeer about on the other tack; ran

up under the lee of a junk; shivered the mainsail into the wind and

lost headway; and forged past the stern of the junk so slowly and

so near that one of the patrolmen stepped lightly aboard。  Then I

kept off; filled the mainsail; and bore away for a second junk。



Up to this time there had been no noise; but from the first junk

captured by the salmon boat an uproar now broke forth。  There was

shrill Oriental yelling; a pistol shot; and more yelling。



〃It's all up。  They're warning the others;〃 said George; the

remaining patrolman; as he stood beside me in the cockpit。



By this time we were in the thick of the fleet; and the alarm was

spreading with incredible swiftness。  The decks were beginning to

swarm with half…awakened and half…naked Chinese。  Cries and yells

of warning and anger were flying over the quiet water; and

somewhere a conch shell was being blown with great success。  To the

right of us I saw the captain of a junk chop away his mooring line

with an axe and spring to help his crew at the hoisting of the

huge; outlandish lug…sail。  But to the left the first heads were

popping up from below on another junk; and I rounded up the

Reindeer alongside long enough for George to spring aboard。



The whole fleet was now under way。  In addition to the sails they

had gotten out long sweeps; and the bay was being ploughed in every

direction by the fleeing junks。  I was now alone in the Reindeer;

seeking feverishly to capture a third prize。  The first junk I took

after was a clean miss; for it trimmed its sheets and shot away

surprisingly into the wind。  By fully half a point it outpointed

the Reindeer; and I began to feel respect for the clumsy craft。

Realizing the hopelessness of the pursuit; I filled away; threw out

the main…sheet; and drove down before the wind upon the junks to

leeward; where I had them at a disadvantage。



The one I had selected wavered indecisively before me; and; as I

swung wide to make the boarding gentle; filled suddenly and darted

away; the smart Mongols shouting a wild rhythm as they bent to the

sweeps。  But I had been ready for this。  I luffed suddenly。

Putting the tiller hard down; and holding it down with my body; I

brought the main…sheet in; hand over hand; on the run; so as to

retain all possible striking force。  The two starboard sweeps of

the junk were crumpled up; and then the two boats came together

with a crash。  The Reindeer's bowsprit; like a monstrous hand;

reached over and ripped out the junk's chunky mast and towering

sail。



This was met by a curdling yell of rage。  A big Chinaman;

remarkably evil…looking; with his head swathed in a yellow silk

handkerchief and face badly pock…marked; planted a pike…pole on the

Reindeer's bow and began to shove the entangled boats apart。

Pausing long enough to let go the jib halyards; and just as the

Reindeer cleared and began to drift astern; I leaped aboard the

junk with a line and made fast。  He of the yellow handkerchief and

pock…marked face came toward me threateningly; but I put my hand

into my hip pocket; and he hesitated。  I was unarmed; but the

Chinese have learned to be fastidiously careful of American hip

pockets; and it was upon this that I depended to keep him and his

savage crew at a distance。



I ordered him to drop the anchor at the junk's bow; to which he

replied; 〃No sabbe。〃  The crew responded in like fashion; and

though I made my meaning plain by signs; they refused to

understand。  Realizing the inexpediency of discussing the matter; I

went forward myself; overran the line; and let the anchor go。



〃Now get aboard; four of you;〃 I said in a loud voice; indicating

with my fingers that four of them were to go with me and the fifth

was to remain by the junk。  The Yellow Handkerchief hesitated; but

I repeated the order fiercely (much more fiercely than I felt); at

the same time sending my hand to my hip。  Again the Yellow

Handkerch

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