The herald., 1895-08-04
What a Wealthy Traveller
Has to Say About
Avalon
A PISCATORIAL TOURNAMENT
In General Appearance Santa Catalina
Resembles Monte Carlo, So II
Is Said..Something About
the Indians
BY SENIOR x

II have Travelled all over the country,
said wealthy fisherman, the center OF
little group at Avalon; II have seen it
all, and have fished in almost every water
that holds fish, and | think Santa Cata-
lima the best place | have struck yet
There is no place IN the east continued
the fisherman. 'where you can be as COM
Portable as you can here; it is always cool,
always pleasant. and as for the fishing.
it is simply immense. When eastern fish
ermen hear more of the island they wont
troubls Florida and its intense heat and
mosquitoes, but will come to Catalina.
Why gentleman" added the angler. look
ing around. you have the greatest re-
sort in the country and don't know it,"
Santa Catalina reminds one OF Bar Har-
Dor, as hero more than anywhere in
Southern California, fashion has set its
mark of approval, and the hotels are well
filled with young men and women who
talk rod and reel, boats and boatmen.
On the piazza you hear reels and rods
discussed. One lady uses Tarpon Won
Hope that cost $50; another prides her
self on taking TO- pound fish on an g.
ounce rod. while others are sure that the
hand line is the correct thing Tor fish OF
any kind. Five years ago there was not
u IOu Ou bllc lSldiut bot eA'S ySe' N'S'J
fisherman owns one or more. and many
new improvements lave been suggested.
adapting tackle to tho fish.
Avalon presents a very animated ap-
pearance this year. New tent towns, new
band stand. new boatmen. bicycle
school. champion high divers and the
presence of eastern fishermen have ad led
an interest to the life here that has not
been noticed in previous seasons.
\ The future of the island is an interest
ing speculation. and being unique in its
way, having lee shore, quiet harbors
and good fishing in still water. it is easy
to sac that year after year the island will
ed. far beyond tho expectations of its ad-
mrers of today. ana it will not be many
years before the various canyons will all
have their villages and summer houses.
The general appearance OF Santa Catalina
reminds one of Monte Carlo, where streets
on the edge of cliffs. In time roaos and
paths will skirt the rocky shores of Santa
Catalina as at San Marco, and the In
terror heights be made available by fine
roads.
A feature of Santa Catalina as resort
is not generslly appreciated. 1t is es-
sentially an all the year around resort.
From May to October it is occupied by
the visitor. and in the so called winter
months the eastern tourists take possess
sion and ill the hotels. The island, with
its 55' 900 acres. is one of the finest nat
ur,l game preserves in the world; a de-
llghtful country to ride and roam over.
and dove: pheasants have been placed on
the island. and mum De. of the eastern
Quail, the Arizona variety, and several
other birds would do we'll here. The
country is finely adapted for the elk. deer
and white mountain goat and bighorn.
had o1c
would become one of the fam Gus preserves
OF the world. Every year Americans go
to Scotland and buy enormous holdings
simply for the shooting. but in all Scot
land there is not so bountiful hunting
territory as rhe uplanas of Santa Catalina
whore the island is cut by green canyons
and covered with greer. cover. 1t is an
romantic and beautiful, and once well
stocked as indicated would attract sports
men from all over the country, who
would not merely benefit Santa Catalina,
but all California.
An interesting event will take place at
the island this fail. being the return of
the Indians to Santa Catalina. When
Cabrlllo sailed into Avalon harbor several
hundred years a.c, or in 1547, he was wei
coined by hordes of Indians who had a
large village where Avalon now stands.
Their boats were fine canoes made Of
logs and held tSenty persons. They were
described by the old writers as being a
fine race, we'll versed in various small arts
and that this appears to be true is shown
by the objects excavated at various locali-
ties. 1t is said that the native owners
were removed by the mission fathers
something like one hundred years or SO
ago and that since then not an Indian
has set foot upon the ocean domain. 1t
is said that out in the Banning reserva-
tion there were several Indians who are
the descendants of the old owners OF the
island. Some years ago one old chief is
said to have put in claim to the island
ON the ground that they were forcibly
taken from their island home. but the
claim was not pushed. Some of the de-
scendants of the islanders having ex-
pressed wish to return they will be al
lowed to and next winter will in all pro-
bability see the coming back of the
modern representatives of the islanders.
The will build crush houses. make NOR
tars and pestles. arIowheads. baskets.
work the ancient old manufacturing as
did their ancestors hundreds of years ago
and represent the old life as nearly as
possible. This will be most interesting
feature of life here. not only to California
visitors but to eastern people and that a
camp of these people could be made self
supporting. on the island and flourish
there can be but little doubt. The an
cient history of Santa Catalina as Illus
trated by the old graveyards and town
sites is very interesting and over twenty
have been found all in all from one end
of the island to the other. showing that
in the old days it was we'll populated and
that owing to the fish and shells the
islanders must have been a vigorous race
of fishermen. The coming back Of tho
Indians will be one of the most interest
ing things that has happened IN South
ern California since the old mission of
San Luis Rey was re-occupied several
years ago and rescued from the decay in
to which it was rapidly falling.
Why She Couldn't Use Them
This IS what was heard in theater the
o4 har ninht. They yypra in n nriua ta ho Y