The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1898-04-06
Southern California.

A correspondent recently wrote for
the WATCHMAN some sketches of win
ter in Florida. Sui joined is an inter-
esting picture, from a private letter,
of life in another fowery region of these
wide spreading United States:
Los ANGELES, CAL,
March 8, 1894.
How l wish you were in this beautiful
sun-kissed land to enjoy the winter with us,
for with flowers in bloom and palms waving
and orange picking and butterflies dancing
on air and barefooted children playing on
the street, L can hardly realize that it is
winter time.
Many people have no fires in their houses
except large kerosene lamps which they
light to take off the chilliness of the breeze
when sea-fog comes up twenty miles from
the sea to spend the night with us. The
whole of southern California is suffering
from a drought, and unless rain comes soon
the country will be in poor shape for the
dry eason beginning generally with April.
Peach, plum, apricot and prune trees are
now in blossom, and oranges will follow
next month. The small grains are up and
trying to grow, but make poor beginning.
Many birds are in the orchards and parks,
among which the mocking bird is the most
noisy, both day and night, IL the moon hap
pens to shine. Last week we spent at
Santa Catalina Island, some twenty-five
miles off our western coast. We had pre-
viously run out to the beach at Santa Mon
lea, where 1 first beheld the great Pacific
and saw the sun sink to rest that evening
on It's peaceful bosom. The voyage was
made in a little steamer called the Falcon,
and a stiff northwest bret re rocked the boat
till you could almost hear bass voice sing
ing Crooked in the cradle Of the deep"
One OF the revelations to us in the bay OF
Avalon, on which is the little town on the
southeastern coast Of the island, was the
submarine beauty displayed through the
glass bottomed boats used there. AS we
were rowed out we soon met schools OF
bright, shining sardines, swimming as for
dear life away from some imaginary foe.
A moment later, right under our boat, In
full pursuit, passed 'shag" swimming at
break-neck speed, trying to catch The flee
ing fish for his lunch. The "shag" ia the
name. local or general, know not which.
for fish duck, two to four times the size OF
the mud-hen, with longer neck and more
ungainly. This bird is to be seen near the
shore everywhere, and dives down where
school of fish Is to be seen near the surface,
and swims ten or fifteen feet under the
water, chasing them till, perchance, he seizes
one and comes to the surface where, very
likely, q dozen sea gulls are watching
him from q convenient height, and meet
ing him as his head comes to the surface.
The clearness Of the water here Is most
surprising. After passing the schools OF
ASH We GALLO 10 AVhlOu iOIobo VI
| kelp and other ses-weeds wholly under
water even at low tide, yet reaching to the
| surface from depths as great as sixty or sew
enty feet and swaying gently to and fro,
with the ocean currents, while green and
blue perch, sea bass, golden perch and
many other strickingly beautiful fishes were
gliding gently in and out, around and
through the intricacies Of the forest. As
| our boat passed over, we looked down
, through the glistening, sparkling blue--ma-
| erywhere with forms of rarest beauty.
Plainly visible to us on the rocky or pebbly
| bottom lay many star fish, sea cucumbers,
| abalone shells, sea urchins and other strange
forms unknown to q landsman from the
crest OF the continent. So much were we
impressed with the beauty Of the scene that
the next afternoon we chartered boat
with a larger glass bottom to carry us
| till our necks and eyes were wearied in our
| endeavor to miss none OF the beauties oil
| the ever-changing panorama. Some day we
hope to go back to Catalina, to ride again In
the "optical" boat, and take the napths
launch to Seal Rocks" where We saw al
one time no less than twenty or thirty OF
those agile mermaids resting on the rocks
allowing us to approach to within twenty
or thirty feet; and 60 again to the banks tt
catch the rock-cod, or the more festive vel
low tail, and last but not least, see agar
the magic island with the prettiest little
| "play harbor' on our coasts, where tht
warm sun and gentle breezes OF February
undo the wrinkles OF care, and passive
spirit OF restfulness lulls one to sleep II
the sunny summer-land beside the peaceful
ocean Of the west.