Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1886-12-31
HUNrsps ,HR WILD GOAT.
srots or che Houtheru CALIFORNIA;
Cosst- Prehistoric Mounds.

thirty mites or more from land, u the
islaud OF Santa Catalina, literally an Isolated
ueak Of the Sierra Madre system that seems
10 have st-uyed away and gone TO sea and
| firmly anrhored-a land or watermsrk for a
hundred miles al ound. Especially during
the summer months il Is the resort OF the
Los Angeiesc, who make II an Atlantic City
or Coney Island, though 1t must be confess
ed that Il is yet in embryo as regards being a
faltfedged watering place. Everybody that
comes here, however, wants TO see Santa
Catalina, and for three distinct reasons
First, IL contains some remarkable mounds
| or shell heaps tha, have afforded arche0lo-
gists mCch valuable material, the finds
ranging from prebiAoric flutes TO she'll and
bone tsh.books, and variety Of imple-
rnents telling Of the social lie Of people
who have pissed away aud about whom
little or nothing Is known; secondly, the
island harbors are famous for their fishing,
sea-hass OF enormous size having been
taken here: hut the third and chief sport
and attraction lies In a heard OF wild goats
that inhabit the lofty peaks OF the upper
range. onuIating as closely as a goat can the
wa,s and habits OF the famed cbamois.
II Is somewhat OF a mystery to the east
erper how these goats cIiDe here, and there
are not lacking Cahforlians who will tell
him that they swan over, having webbcd
feet fol- the purpose; while Others will
contend that Santa Catalina was once a
part Of the dry land. and that the bot
tom literally dropped out, surrounding the
range and imprisOning the goats t1at hap
pened TO be grazing there. The truth Is
that in former years the island was con-
s.dered dangerous place for vessels. and
some charltably.disposcd persons, thinking
that The wrecked Seamcn might staryC,
placed number Of ordinary goats there,
which in succeeding years have increased
many fold. and are now the "wild goats
OF Catalina" aiiordiDg TO the sportsman
fair sport, If his conscience. indeed, allows
him TO Kill goat.
1.-THE first time came TO Catalina" said
a fellow-bunier on one occasion, had
series oi adventures that. TO say the least.
were discouraging. IN the first place the
yacht as becaImed i'm the ice OF the island
for about three days and we ran short OF
provisions. Then, when we got ashore 1t
Iained steadily for about a week, and finally
] came within an ace OF breaking my neck
up among the rocks Of the place. The
island, being subjected TO The same con-
dIii6ns as the main land, is cut and
scared by cahOns IN a marvellous
way, great numbers OF these gOrges
radiating from the peaks downward
TO the sea in every direction. Tue sides
OF some arc very prtciptous, and here,
among the rocks and b1ulders, often IN
places almost inaccessible, was found the
wild goat. When il cleared We started up
the canon, and after crat ling over The rocks
for several hours fOunr ourselves about
bali way up the range. While turning 4
bend we saw number OF the animal. on
projecting rock below. They had not no. 4
ticed vs., and as they were OnSOf range VA
pitched up penny as TO who Mould cray n
down. II fell 10 me, and, stiNopngT b,
rifle to my back, ! began the dSyenH T
was a place where there had recenp%d IN
landslide that had precipitstcd hthe- n
tens oi rock and gravel into the canon = III
low, and a certain amount OF circuR,o,
spfcton was necessary not to strt
another. which might have carried
me along. crept OF step by
step, using stones when ! could, making q
iOOthOld IN the face OF the blUfl, until finally
1 reached point where large boulder
projected. Cautiously / climbed upon 1t,
and there. about 800 ards below me, was a
flock Of goals one big white ram, with as
fine par Of horns aS one wants 10 see.
Standing out againstth green OF the canon
in high relief. | unslung my rifle, and,
taking aim, let him have II. lie dropped
Immediately, and began TO drop too. in
some way the biz boulder became l0Osened.
and had tc jump for it. As IT shot into
the canon, with the roar OF a cannon. |
landed twenty feet below, in the bush;
then slipped. slid. bounded, and rolled like
a ball, finally landing in the shelf. where
the old goat was, more dead than alive.
n l,r.r ma - IN mil III
together, and then found that | was in
what might be termed Xix. The only po-
silion ever saw like it was picture rep
res6nting an cgg.hunter in the northern
country walking along narrow ledge,
With several thousand feet beneath him for
q clear fail Ny case was not quite so bad,
Us had plenty of room and a dead goat;
but the ledge was a mere platform
on the edge of precipice, and
nothing but a goat could ever have
gone down, and certlinly nothing
but bird could have gone up. | took
in the situation and began firing my rifle
for my friend. ! soon saw him above, and
after awhile be came down TO within three
hundred feet OF me, and, to make long
story short, the only thing that could be
done was 10 get some rope and pull me up;
80 he started, and put in a night on the
ledge, using The old goat rs 4 pillow, and
about 4 O'Clock in the morning | heard
shouts, and two hours later the men were
hauling me up like a bale OF goods. No. |
let the goat &c. a goat is goat, after all.
and you can't work up much enthusiasm
over even good pair OF hOrns-and | |
have had all want OF the mountain goat
Goat hunting Is not 80 exciting nj all |
points. a. sfritud OF the writer went TO the !
island. thinking to have some sport like |
chamois hunting but the goats he dis. !
covered, far from being timid. showed con- |
siderable interest in him. Finally he threw |
his rifle down, considering it murder or 4 |
breach OF confidence TO shoot, deliberately |
ran down one OF the flock and brought It |
in triumph 10 the camp; and 10 those who |
know the character OF the country this feat |
Is a remarkable one. be the goat the stoves, |
OF iis kind.
santa Catalina Is owned by large estate |
In san Francisco, and il is said that ii is to |
be stocked with biaek.iailed and other deer, |
and reserved for bunting purposes, the |
farmed out rs ii is In England. |
Doubtless this would work well, as the |
uniting on the mainland is more or less |
OverdoDe, and many sportsmen coming 10 |
California for the winter, which Is the |
pleasantest time aud the closed season for
deer, would be glad 10 take advantage
81 IL.
The shell.heaps az Catalina constitute a
never-ending attraction, and, while they |
have been examined &c some extent by
Government expeditions. they still afford
abundant material TO the arch90legist.
some Of the finds beipg very curious and
Instructive, telling, a. they do. OF the habits
md customs OF an almost unknown people.
The early California Indians were in many
,ases far ahesd IN their artictic conceptions
" nlany tribes OF to-day. Especially Is
heir sculpturing TO be commended.
rbey evidently bad little or no know
edge OF moulding or making objects
rom clay, but some OF their WORK
IN the soft stones, rs sieatlte and serpentine.
S very attractive. Many dishes have been
aiken from graves on the island, and
curious fact that might be mentioned in
his connection Is that the skulls found at
santa Catalina are quite difei ent from those
ound upon other Islands, being what Is
allied dolichocephalic, Though in one grave
we're found two skulls, one OF which had
be above features or characteristics, while
he other was orthocephalic. Some OF the
'bieets represent animals found oil shore.
Thus one represented whale, beinga very
air model In steatlte and quite highly
POLISHED, The square head, dat tail, low
'orsal fin and fiippers being all well carried
'ut.
The fsh.hooss found at Catalina make an
Interesting showing. They are OF bone
principally, and formed IN many fantastic
hapes. In many the point bends and