Los Angeles herald., 1891-10-03

Major Elderkin delivered one OF his
inimitable lectures at the Flower Festi-
val society's house on Fourth street last
evening. The audience was large and
select one and hugely enjoyed the witty
sayings for which the Major is noted.
The speaker said his subject was on
archaeology sand in the course of the
lecture he gave humorous account Of
his. researches at Catalina, the origin of
the name and his scientific discoveries
upon than that beautiful isle.
''The island was discovered, - said the.
Major, many years ago-in fact before
the war, by an Englishman named
Napoleon B. Cortez. Napoleon was.
second cousin to the gentleman who.
afterwards discovered New Mexico. A.
great many years ago he sailed across,
the. sea making for the port of San
Pedro with shipload OF cats. e. 4,
Being unfamiliar with the locality
and having no binnacles on his weather
jib he landed by mistake upon an island
some nine leagues sou SOU west by SOU
from the Gem OF the Ocean saloon in
San Pedro.
He set sail from the island, leaving
an old sailor named Jack in charge OF
the cats. There was only one sausage
mill on the island at that time, but a
fiddle string factory soon started up.
Jack spent most of his time hunting
elephants, rhinocerouses, alligators and
other small game, which he cut up for
cat meat.
Months and years passed away, and
.the cats died off one by one by starva-
ton, until but one remained to keep old
Jack company. The sausage mill went
into bankruptcy, the fiddle string fac
tory suspended operations; the lawn
tennis clubs dsbanded; the bath house
was split up for kindling wood, and Jack
and Tom mad nothing to do but talk
about town lots. Jack tried to induce
Tom to invest in some Of the lots and
start boom, but Tom didn't tumble.
He had been in Kansas City.
"Finally Napoleon B. Cortez's ship
hove in sight and Napoleon landed.
Jack embraced his captain and told him
he feared the cat speculation was up.
Napoleon B. Cortez said: 'Ah, Cabal-
lerol What-a you-a give-a me, Jack p
Jack told him Tom was the only cat
left. 'That-a cat-a no-a count-a, that-a
cata-a no-a fat-a, Jack; that-a cat-a
leana-a.'
These prophetic words lived in his
| tory; and to this day the island is called
catalina in honor of the noble senti-
ment which burst from the lips of the
intrepid old navigator on that memora-
BILE occasion"
The major gave history of the estab-
lishment of schools on the island.
Among others he mentioned the barra-
couda school, the yellowtail and smelt
schools.
Some brand new fish schools were in
terwoven in his lecture and the audi
ence went into roars of laughter.
Speaking of George Washington, he
referred to the cherry tree incident and
incidentally remarked that George new
er went jew fishing and George never
had any experience in the barracuda
school.
"a barracuda measures from seven
teen to twenty inches, or three feet long.
Say, for instance, an amateur fisherman
has caught from seventy to eighty fish,
according to his own story. The num-
Der can easily be counted by those to
whom he tells it. Just take off about
ninety per cent.
81 don't mean to say" continued the
AldJOl1 IhdO SCHIlcLlcA w lO ISL arc III
truthful, but from the earliest ages men
have been demoralized by going fishing,
their recollection is distorted. From be-
ing near the water 80 much they become
amphibious and tell awful fibs. A man
may have the biggest kind of luck cut
ting down cherry trees, and yet the same
man might bob all day for barracuda
and never geta bite"
Major Elderkin illustrated his lecture
by series of pictures which, he said,
were very fine paintings by Mr.. Tom
Barnes, who very gracefully acted in the
capacity of artist.
Some very pleasing selections were
given during the evening by quartette
composed of the following ladies and
gentlemen: Mrs. DIR. Shoemaker, Miss
May Selby, Messrs. Schwab and Kenne-
dy. Mr.. Jenkins was the accompanied.
Tourist sleeping cars, Los Angeles to
Boston, through without change by the
| Santa TX ro44a