246 CHANNEL ISLANDS OF CALIFORNIA 



less natives who were buried in the long ago. As each 

 man was buried with all his possessions, there is 

 an object in grave-robbing. Scores of parties have 

 explored here, and doubtless the region has hardly 

 been touched on. 



As I walked up the island I did not see a green thing; 

 it was summer when all vegetation was dead, but at 

 least two-thirds of the island is a sand-dune, except 

 where the sand has been blown away. Parts are 

 covered with coarse grass, and there are a few scrub 

 oaks. Barren as it appears, I fancy a botanist or even 

 a layman would find a remarkably large list of plants 

 here in the spring after heavy rains as there were few 

 sheep. Mrs. Trask has reported an interesting list, 

 including Astralagus Traskm, the ice plant, cream cups, 

 the sea verbena, Hosackia, SucEdas, and others. Far 

 away, gigantic in the mirage, I saw a spectral horse. 



San Nicolas is a marvellous illustration of what a 

 change of climate a few miles will produce. In plain 

 sight on a clear day is Santa Catalina with the most 

 delightful climate in the world, and I say it advisedly, 

 yet San Nicolas is generally impossible. I have never 

 camped there, but I am going back some day, as the 

 fascination of roaming over this vast kitchen-midden 

 with its tons of buried implements is irresistible. 



A friend who camped here for a month, collecting, 

 said that they were forced to shovel sand on the lower 

 flap of the tent to keep it from being blown away, and 

 in the morning they were almost covered with sand. 

 Implements and skeletons are uncovered one day and 

 covered the next. I found one spot years ago which 

 must have been a battle-field, similar to one I found 

 at San Clemente. Skeletons were piled up, skulls 



