The herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1893-1900, 1894-11-30
IS THERE A PACIFIC ATLANTIS?
What Some BOtanists Think of
Santa Catalina.
A Theory That the Island Is Rem
nant of a Continent.
The Peculiar Flora Found in That Re.
sort-rhe Geological story-Cata-
lima Has Not Movsd for
Thousand fears.
[BY G. F. HOLDER.

by G. f. HOLDER.
If the theory of some botsnists is cor
rect, that portion Of Los Angeles county
known as Santa Catalina has had an
extraordinary history and is nothing
less than Pacific Atlantis. or all that is
left of one. In Zoe. biological Journal
published in San Francisco, Prof. s. F.
Brandeges. the well-known botsnist, has
q most interesting paper on the Flora
of the Southern California Islands,
in which he SAYS that the fora OF these
islands is OF great interest on account Of
the variation from mainland forms, due,
he thinks, from isolation and the effect
of insular climate. 1t has been sug-
gested. be says, that the islands are the
remnants OF western Atlantic, the
botanical arguments in favor of the
theory being found in the fact that the
islands, Santa Cruz especially, seem to
havelmany new species and to be deficient
in many others.
ANY one vino is familiar with the
islands, particularly San Clemente and
Santa Catalina. must have been struck
with the fact that they rise precipitous-
ly from deep water. There is not sus-
picion Of q shoal or a reef anywhere ex.
cept on the south side OF Santa Cata-
lima; vessels of the largest size can run
so close IS to project their bowsprits
against the rocks without RAINING
aground. This ia more or less true OF all
the islands; they rise mystsriously from
deep water, isolated peaks of great
mountain ranges that have long ago
risen into the air from greater depths.
That there has been an elevation OF
the coast bore the geologist can prove.
and within, possibly, $4,000 years Santa
Catalina has been under water so deep
that Black Jack, Orizaba and q few
ia shown by the foseil shells in the high
places. At the same time the entire
coast OF California was pushed up and
and the sea made. In the face OF this
testimony OF the geologists, it is diff
cult to see how the botaniste can show
the islands to be the remains Of a "Pa-
cific Atlantis" as they certainly have
not sunk an inch in many thousands of
years, = fact shown by the position of
caves that the sea has eaten out. The
botanists build their theory on the fora,
which is certainly peculiar. The natural
assumption would be that the islands
might at one time have been connected
with the mainland. In any event the
flora OF the islands in general resembles
that OF the adjacent country, though
with Santa Catalina this lie not the case
altogether. The plants in many in.
stances ale not only different, some be-
ing found there alone and not on the
mainland, but others that are identical
with the mainland forms have changed
in appearance.
In all about 5l2 species of plants have
been found on the islands; 26 of them
are not found on the mainland. Nearly
all these are near relatives of the coast
forms and II of the 26 have been found
on the islands lying off the coast of
Lower California. The proof of the
Atlantis theory lies mainly in the plants
found alone on these islands from 20 to
so miles off shore. and this fact, to say
the least, is singular.
In this connection DR.. Lucien Cars
examination of the skulls of the ancient
Cstalinans is of interest. He pro-
nounces the people different race from
the shore tribes and believes them to
have had totally different dialect.
That this is possible is shown by the
fact that when the last woman of San
Nicholas island was brought ashore
some years ago no Indian could be found
who could understand her.
The fora OF Santa Catalina is ex-
tremely interesting, and Professor Sar-
geant, the distinguished hotaniet of
Harvard, recently paid the Island visit
to examine it. Mr. Harry Policy has
given the leland fora much study and
has made some Interesting discoveries
there that are not generally known. He
lately found a new dogwood which has
been named cornus poilezi. 1t is repre-
sented hy single specimen and is a
handsome bush about l5 ieet in height.
Mr.. Policy was also the first to discover
the five.leafed poison vale, rhus diversi-
loba. finding two bushss about mile
apart. He also discovered five trees of
the California holly, Heteromeles arbu-
tifolis, bearing yellow berries instead of
red.
Why shs plants of this island and San
Clemente should differ from those of
the mainland, and why 80 many should
resemble Southern California forms is
one OF the mysteries. as it is we'll known
that the Indians were in constant COM
munication with the mainland, and
seeds could readily be brought over.
To carry out the assum pton raised by
the fact that many of the plants in San
ia Catalina resemble those of Lower
California, we may imagine long time
ago-thcusands, perhaps milliona of
years-that there was continent of
mountains extending down the coast of
California. and that q great asa existed
between it and the Sierra Madre range
that can be traced far down into Lie wer
California, and that the present islands
are the only remnants. Be this az it
may, the theory that the island and
others are the last vestiges Of Pacific
Atlantic ia an interesting one and will.
without doubt. cauHe much discussion
and relieve the minds of those who, last
summer, thought the island was to be
submerged. Biologists can prove that
the island was not moved for thousands
OF years. and if it ever does it will rise
at the rate of few inches a century.
Charges of Fraud,