124 Fish Stories 



Curiously enough, the wind was in the east, as offshore, 

 at least in summer or before October, the waters are clear 

 and calm, and instead of a climatic siesta at noon, the wind 

 rises, blows heavily for several hours, generally bringing in 

 the fog — the friend of the redwoods, which range from here 

 north into Washington and far along shore. 



Anglers have various superstitions regarding the wind, 

 and most of them can be traced through the anglers of old — 

 Du Bartas, Dennys and others — to the classical myths ; 

 anglers who doubtless visited the Temple of Aeolus, which 

 had upon its hexagonal sides flying figures of winds. Eurus 

 was the east wind, even to-day in bad repute, and was shown 

 as a " young man flying with great impetuosity." Auster 

 was the southwest wind, an old man of gloomy visage, " a 

 head covered with clouds, a sable vesture and dusky winds." 

 He can be counted on to-day in California at least to ruin the 

 fishing, and send with his sou'wester the same to the four 

 winds of Heaven. All sudden and heavy showers the 

 ancient angler laid at the door of Auster. A mild and 

 gentle wind, the kind which ripples the pools of San 

 Lorenzo, coming through the big redwoods with gentle 

 touch, is from Zephyrus. 



" Soft is the strain when zephyr gently blows, 

 And the smooth stream in smoother numbers flows." 



It was Zephyrus who wedded Flora and visited all lands, 

 according to the old Athenian belief. 



Surely they tarried on the San Lorenzo, where flowers 

 and gentle winds are found. In December when storms 

 come rolling in, the dark forests are beaten and bent. 

 Caurus, the northwest wind, is the cause. 



Zephyrus in California is somewhat chilled by contact 

 with the cold Japan current. Of Aquilo, Boreas, the San 

 Lorenzo knows but little. It is rather Caurus, the northwest 

 wind, that brings in the impenetrable fogs to the Santa Cruz 

 mountains, and holds them in everlasting greenness. Boreas 



