Orange County observer. [volume] (Hillsborough, N.C.) 1880-1918, 1891-08-08
AFTER SEA 'OTTER.
HUNTING FURS OFF SOUTHERN
CALIFORNIA
4 Sport That is Brim Full of Excite.
ment-a Shy Little Animal That
Cannot stand the I1u-
Hian Voice

ception on the north and extending at /
irregular intervals TO the bay Of Todos
Santos on the south, lie the Channel ISL
ands, varying in size from a few miles
III length 10 over twenty. and Keeping an
average distance from the mainland Of
about twenty seven miles. Only one Of
these, Catalina, has any special claim To
being Inhabited. the summcr rcsor, of
Avalon being situated near It's center,
aud almost directly west from the port
of San Pedro With the exception of
IN occasional lonely shepherd ranch on
one or two Of the largest islands, the
rest of these outlying natural barriers
remain as they were 1t Creations dawn.
and even to-day arr given up solely 10
the sealion and the otter hunter
The small community that sub.ist by
this occupation numbers perhaps some
200 souls in MI, and is a most peculiar
and isolated one. For over Il generation
'hty iih'c ictdtHtd y Iionopolt W the.r
pursuit, and resent all professional com
petition with Jealous hostility. Living
apart from the haunts Of mankind
touching elbows with civilization only at
rare intervals and rendered silent and
| undemohstrative by the very mature Of
| their profession, they live on, care free.
| contented and unregar,iul IF the great
world "on the main" Their stations
', or "camps" similar to this are usually
about eight Or ten miles syart. The in
mates or crews are about ninety per
cent native Calfornlns, the rest Amer
leans, and are divided in three distinct
classes. The feast important of these
are the i'grubbers' or fishermen, skin
salters and cooks, who find and prepare
the food Next come the boatmen,
whose sole occupation is rowing, and
lastly, the ''shots, or rihemen, almost
always American, and who are the mag
mates and aristocrats Of the outfit, it be-
ing upon their skill the ~elfare of the
whole depends. Although thc business
is largely Il cooperative one the rihemen
are paid an additional ten per cent Of
the "catch. and also obtain further
bonus Of fifty cents per skin for each pclt
above certain number secured each
month.
The shooting is all done from boats,
four or five Of which are always 1cached
in front of each camp. These are home
made affairs, low on the sides, nearly
Hat -bottoned for convenience in beach
ing ana sliding over kclp, and are in.
liflenan. Their internal arrangement,
are somewhat unique, the double object
OF facilitating the marksEan and insur-
ing complete silence being kept always
in view. In the bow, where the sharp.
shooters sits in lordly state, is placed the
only modern article, If his latest pattern
"lhcHeS'er be 'Hceptcl, observable
ms Is an office CHAIR revolving on
wei!'oiied scfe" - afford It's occupant
4uicR change oil position. Una th'
generally bare feet Of the ere" ar'
spread several "id hiankiss lhr "ooier
oariocks are covered with generousiy J
creased lett the oars themselves oval
o1aded' 'hffl-sha''ea ana resihie, "h'''
on ei,hef side y the sharp DO" sra'
STRIPS OF loose 'e't' asa'hss winch th'
splash OF inc water i ihadli'A@- Every
'h'hs' ~ iae'' = aone y avon tn
''is''''aI .''"fi'' "ili.e aloa.' 'nE 'tl' II