tales of the fish patrol-第1章

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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