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
  Handkerchief　was　overawed；　and　with　surly　looks　he　led　three　of　his
  men　aboard　the　Reindeer。　　I　cast　off　at　once；　and；　leaving　the　jib
  down；　steered　a　course　for　George's　junk。　　Here　it　was　easier；　for
  there　were　two　of　us；　and　George　had　a　pistol　to　fall　back　on　if　it
  came　to　the　worst。　　And　here；　as　with　my　junk；　four　Chinese　were
  transferred　to　the　sloop　and　one　left　behind　to　take　care　of
  things。
  Four　more　were　added　to　our　passenger　list　from　the　third　junk。　　By
  this　time　the　salmon　boat　had　collected　its　twelve　prisoners　and
  came　alongside；　badly　overloaded。　　To　make　matters　worse；　as　it　was
  a　small　boat；　the　patrolmen　were　so　jammed　in　with　their　prisoners
  that　they　would　have　little　chance　in　case　of　trouble。
  〃You'll　have　to　help　us　out；〃　said　Le　Grant。
  I　looked　over　my　prisoners；　who　had　crowded　into　the　cabin　and　on
  top　of　it。　　〃I　can　take　three；〃　I　answered。
  〃Make　it　four；〃　he　suggested；　〃and　I'll　take　Bill　with　me。〃　　（Bill
  was　the　third　patrol