CBH Authored Publications

CBH's publications are noteworthy for their variety, facility of expression, and often for their humor. Included among those we located (and there are probably some we missed (114)) are: two novels (his only fiction, both based on historical events); three social commentaries (an almost genetically based attack on the behavior of the German army during WWI; a deploring of the physical decay of historic Monterey, Calif.; and a remarkably prescient discussion of the historically abusive treatment of China by the West and what will result in the future; two explaining and justifying the work of the U.S. Fish Commission; several popular articles describing the habits of interesting fishes; one describing the history, life, and architecture of the Latin Quarter in Paris; and one, a letter, presumably unintended for publication, describing his pursuit of painting desert landscapes. Most of the articles, but neither of the novels, are adorned with his own informative illustrations. In the following discussion we list these publications chronologically, quoting from and commenting on them, and reproducing some of their included illustrations. (115)

The earliest CBH authored article we found (Hudson, 1893a) was published in May 1893. It was probably written during 1892, the date indicated for all but one or two (undated) of its 11 included illustrations. In the article, CBH describes the methods of model making, the models, and other preparations for the USFC exhibit at the 1893 Chicago World Fair (World's Columbian Exposition), for which the Commission's plans began in May 1891.

All of the illustrations are black-and-white drawings and, except for an illustration of the fisheries building, depict models of fishes, ships (including a fourth CBH drawing of the UFSC schooner Grampus), and the process of model making. We reproduce all the illustrations of the fishes and ships (but only one of the model making process) in our Figure 43. The illustrations of the fishes are among the first of fishes that CBH executed, as well as published, either for himself or others. CBH was preparing drawings of plans of fishing vessels for the Commission's exhibit and saw an opportunity, perhaps, to additionally augment his finances. Likening the exhibit and its preparations to an octopus, CBH (1893a:598) extolled:

"The whole continent and the deep seas beyond come within the range of the gigantic tentacles of the Fish Commission Exhibit. Everything that pertains to fish, fishing or fishermen is its prey. Photographs, drawings, clothing and life-size models of fishermen; photographs, drawings, alcoholic specimens and models of the fish they catch; photographs, drawings, plans, specifications and accurate models of the craft from which they catch them; lines, nets, spears, traps, rods, reels and gear of every description have been brought together into a collection larger and more perfect than any that the world has ever yet beheld."

CBH (1893b) next published "Curious breadwinners of the deep," an article about the peculiarities of various fishes, most of which are actually shallow dwelling. It contains 11 line drawings that CBH made in 1892 and 1893,...