1894 



GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE. 



755 



but I think he kept his eyes too closely shut; 

 and when a man's eyes are too closely shut, his 

 mind naturally reflects upon internal matters. 

 Let the case be as it may, Mr. Mercer's dia- 

 phram kerflummuxed suddenly, and he took his 

 turn at feeding the fishes. I have no doubt the 

 different families of fish down below the boiling 

 waves thought there was a opportune out- 

 pouring of hash above for their special benefit. 

 My four companions were comfortably sick, 

 and took their turns over the rail several times. 

 I had been so busy sympathizing with them 

 that I had not had time to be seasick; and, 

 though this was my first voyage on the ocean 

 in a schooner, and over rough seas, my old habit 

 of providing for the wants of the inner man 

 asserted itself about noon, and I obtained from 

 our lunch-basket some doughnuts and cheese, 



The next morning all were able to partake of 

 food sparingly, and were able to tramp around 

 the island. The Ana Capa Islands are a group 

 of three rather barren rocky projections from 

 ocean depths, and their formation shows vol- 

 canic origin. The wash of the waves has made 

 many indentations, natural bridges, and caves 

 around the rocky sides. Our camp was pitched 

 among the rocks upon the barren shore. It is 

 said these islands are claimed by Mexico. It 

 would be no big claim for any government to 

 wish to own them. Schooners run out here for 

 fishing, for pleasure (like ours), and for seal- 

 hunting. The latter are hunted and driven 

 away until there are but few, where formerly 

 there were thousands. We found a camp of 

 seal-hunters, with their apparatus for render- 

 ing oil, etc.; and I should judge it to be any 



sealer's camp on ana capa islands. 



and sat down near the cabin hatchway near my 

 companions, and ate my allowance. They did 

 not appreciate my kindness in offering them a 

 morsel; but I imagined that there were malign 

 looks darting from their half-closed eyes. I 

 have no doubt I ought to have been seasick 

 with the rest: but I escaped entirely. When I 

 had stowed away my doughnuts and cheese, 

 Sebastian the pilot handed me a large wicker- 

 covered bottle. I raised it to my mouth to find 

 out whether it was water; but, no! it was wine. 

 I desisted there; but the action met with Se- 

 bastian's approval, and he approvingly remark- 

 ed, "Good sailor!" and it was a good thing 

 there was one good sailor along; for when we 

 landed it needed a well man to put up the tent, 

 get some tea, and get the rest to bed or rolled 

 in their blankets as soon as possible. 



thing but a pleasant occupation. A large herd 

 of sheep were roaming the islands, and the 

 herbage was so scanty that the poor things 

 would get down a cliff upon a mere shelf of 

 rock, and, being unable to either climb up the 

 way they came down, or to get out any other 

 way, they would miserably perish or tumble off 

 into the waves below. While rowing around 

 the island we saw several thus situated. There 

 are no sheep-herders on the island. The owners 

 merely stocked the island, allowing them to 

 run wild, and to survive or perish. 



These islands, and the larger islands of Santa 

 Cruz and Santa Rosa, have been suggested as 

 good locations to breed % pure strain of bees; 

 but, owing to fogs and cool nights, it would 

 probably be a hazardous venture. Then the 

 isolation would be an important factor. But 



