The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1903-09-20
The CAVERNS OF SANTA CRUZ
ONE or THEN MIG ENOUGH To
FLOAT 4 BATTLESHIP IN.
The Oregon Could steam Into II, WAISTS
and Ability Other Caves. Big ana
Little, In the Island Wonderful Slib-
marine Gardens About It's Shores.

anu Au-tuty VtNeT Nu>es, "t an"
Little. In the Island Wonderful Subj
marine Gardens About It's shores.
Los ANGELES, Cal, Sept l5-Extendihg
far beneath the rocky hills Of an island OIL
the coast OF California is cave into which
the battleship Oregon could enter for
hundreds OF feet and still have ample roo''
above her inasts and beneath her Keel.
How far small boat could go no man
knows.
This big cavern Ii In Santa Cruz Island,
twenty five miles out in the Pacific ocean
from Santa Barbara. Few persons visit
! the island. II is used to pas, ure sheep and
its owners object to trespassers.
Once year some Mexicans and Indians
are sent over from the mainland to shear
! the fiocks and care for the wool, and nearly
| every year little party of men gees over
| from Santa Barbara to capture some OF the
! seals which abound there, for shipment 10
| zoos. A few fishermen, mostly Japanese,
make occasional trips to fish or gat her
! abalone shells. Beyond these, visitors are
! very rare. That explains why the island
! and its wonders are not better known
! About he island are remarkabe sub
marine gardens. The water il SO clear that
when 1t ID quiet and the sun IL bright. AS 1t
usually is, the bottom can be seen at dep'h
Of fifty feet or more. The pictures that ole
sees on looking down from the boat are
magnificent beyond description.
| Where the water il deep, one looks down
upon what seems like forest OF rare and
curious trees of varying coors swaying TO
ami fro, among which are gliding beautiful
and strange fishes of great variety. Bril-
liant gold perch, emerald fishes, bass,
albicore, yellowtail and many other varie-
ties. varying in size from the tiny minnow
10 Ash three or four feet in length, dart
about or lis lazily Tapping their fins among
the branches. The sun shining down into
this transparent water casts shadows from
all these moving things, producing Il kaledo-
scopic effect that is often simoG. hewilder-
ing.
Beneath the water along the rocky shores
other equally splendid but different, pict-
ures may be seel. Here marine plants OF
most brilliant and varieyated colois, scarlet
purple, blue, green, brown, cling TO the
rocks, while mingled with the flowers
are to lie seen great lazy Holsters, star
fishes. abalones, sea cucumbers. and &C.
casonally an octopus. II IL doubtful
whether at any other place in the world,
not excepting even Santa Catalina Island,
can views OF such marvellous beauty be
obtained.
But nature did not lavish all her wonders
on the marine life Of Santa Cruz. Even
more marvellous are the wonders that she
has wrought in the domain Of geology
Although no craters have been found on
: the island, it is evidently OF volcanic origin,
II Is one OF the projecting SUBMITS OF
nearly submerged range OF mountains
W. A. Goodyear made somewhat ex~
haustive survey OF Santa Cruz in 1889.
He reported It to be 231s miles long. the
greatest breadth or the western portion
being miles, the greatest breadth oil the
eastern portion miles, and the area 81
square miles. The surface is generally
rocky and rough. The highest point
Devils Peak, is 2 ,4o7 feet above sea level.
The shores are irregular and indented
with number of small bays, but generally
bold. Either by some great upheaval
or by the wearing Of the waters for many
aess. great cayerns extending far into the
bowels of the nd have been formed.
II ia lid that there are not fewer than fifty
OF these caves
One of them is about mile from Lady q
Harbor. The entrance Is through an arc
perhaps twelve feet high and scarcely ten
feet wide Not far from the entrance the
cave widena, and VIC soon found ourselves
IN q great silent cavern, the walls OF which
as We could see for short distance from 81 q
archway, presented a variety Of splendid
and beautiful colors.
We continued on until We had rowed in
some 200 feet. The opening at the entrance
had then become hidden by intervening
walls. and We were in darkness SO intense
that We could see absolutely nothing Hav.
ing nothing but matches with which te
produce light. We then turned back
The famous Blue Grotto of Capri is only
IT'S feet in length and 100 feet in width
The cave above described, though one oil
the smaller ones Of Santa Cruz Island, il
much larger than this most noted Of Capri's
caverns.
valdezs Cave Ia SO called because il was
once. according to local tradition, at least
the headquarters Of pirate and smugglel
!, named Valdez Long before the place was
q favorite resort for Indians. 1t is ruinorad
| | too, that in recent years smugglers have
: made use Of this cave as storehouse ant
stopping place for their transportation
, business. Cinnamon have also eolnetim
found It a convenient stopping place while
| seeking to evade the Exclusion law.
1t does not need tradition or romance
: however, to give interest to the place
Just above the surface of the water, there il
an opening cut far back into the rock, thu
forming broad, sheltered retreat, with I
good landing place in front. From thi
1 spacious shelter in the rock a great arch
way or tunnel extends entirely through
projecting point OF rock to the opposit
: side, where it opens out again upon tn
- sea beside great, rough walls. Fisherme
= often stay at this cave, sleeping on tn
smooth. sandy slope of its floor. No ten
. or other covering is needed.
q The Arch Rock il another exhibition
OF Natures carving that would be famorl
were it generally known and easily &C
=. cessible to travellers. Like great Hyin
:. buttress notched at t.,e top, it project
4 into the sea, leaving an open passage unde
It through which goodsized vessel coul
g sail
i But most wonderful OF all the wonder
:, of Santa Cruz is the Painted Cave,
, one has yet fully explored this cave, an
t., seal,