ANTHKOPOLOGICAL STUDIES IN CALIFORNIA. 185 



Mr. E. L. Doran, of Avalon. who kindly carried me in his o-a^oline launch 

 to this spot, that Bannino- Brothers, who own most of the island, have 

 begun extensive improvements, changing- the appearance of the place 

 and obliterating the ancient cemetery. The houses in the view are 

 situated on the village site examined so carefully by Dr. Paul Schu- 

 macher and reported upon by him in a number of publications. The 

 site was covered b}^ several feet of midden refuse composed of black 

 earth and shells, and in which were many burials. It is clear that this 

 site was extensively utilized ))y the natives, and that an important 

 village stood here for a long period. It appears also that it was 

 occupied ;it the time of the arrival of the whites and for a considerable 

 period subsequently, as the graves contained many articles of iron and 

 glass. 



Numerous interesting details regarding the ancient remains of the 

 island are given in a charming little boo^ published by Mr. Charles F. 

 Holder,^ who has adopted the island as a home, and a map is presented 

 in his work locating many village sites, cemeteries, and shell heaps. 

 The evidences of occupation are so numerous and extensive that, as 

 with the other islands of the group, there must have been formerly a 

 large ])opidation, not differing essentially, however, in blood or cul- 

 ture from the people of the mainland. 



Although soapstone was used so extensively on the islands and car- 

 ried in great quantities to the mainland, other stones were not neglected, 

 and sandstone especially was emploj^ed. In some cases, no doubt, it 

 was cut from the living rock, but more commonly waterworn masses, 

 already approximately shaped, were used. In some sections also con- 

 cretionary forms were utilized, many of which were already rounded 

 and hollowed out on one side, making the work of shaping easy. The 

 manipulation of sandstone in the making of mortars and pestles is 

 illustrated in Plate 50. 



Mr. Horatio N. Rust, of South Pasadena, Avhose collections have 

 already received attention, has had more or less intimate contact with 

 a num])er of Mission tribes, and I prevailed upon him to visit the Coa- 

 huilas and other convenient communities for the purpose of making 

 collections for the Museum. At Coahuila Mr. Rust called upon Jose 

 Costa, prominent among the Indians of southern California. The 

 family was found in a new wooden house, the old adobe residence hav- 

 ing recently been destroyed by an earthquake. He found the old 

 mother sitting under the brush shelter where she lives, making a l)asket. 

 This, when finished, was purchased, and along with an unfinished speci- 

 men was forwarded to the Museum. In the collection also are speci- 

 mens of the materials used. In making the better baskets she used a 

 strong grass, which is scarce and much prized. It grows only high up 



^ Charles Frederick Holder, Santa Catalina, an Isle of Summer, San Francisco, 1895. 



