BIG GAME FISHES OF CALIFORNIA 



inch across, the edges were cut off, the second stage being a 

 shell ring possibly three-quarters of an inch across, large or 

 small, according to the fish intended to be taken. The ring 

 was now broken, or a small piece taken out of its circumference. 

 One of the ends was sharpened and a crude barb cut on the 

 outside, while on the other end a rim was cut on which to fasten 

 the line. Mexican Joe has collected thousands of these ancient 

 fish-hooks, and the various stages in the manufacture from 

 the shell down to the perfect hook, which have gone to the 

 British Museum and other institutions of science the world 

 over. They, doubtless, are as old, if not older, than the metal 

 hooks of the bronze age in the British Museum, and fairly 

 represent the stone age of angling, as at this time there were no 

 metals in use on the Pacific coast, these having first appeared 

 with Viscaino in the fifteenth century. 



With these crude hooks, lines and sinkers, the ancient 

 Catalinians took every fish now considered game in these 

 waters. At least, when excavating in the mounds, graves, 

 and kitchen-middens of Santa Catalina, San Clemente, San 

 Nicolas, Santa Cruz, and Anacapa, with my old boatman and 

 others, we have found the bones and skeletons of yellowtail, 

 white sea bass, tuna and dolphin, not to speak of the remains 

 of the sea-elephant, long since extinct on these shores. 



So far no one has speared a swordfish at Santa Catalina. 

 This is not because it is not possible, but because it is so much 

 better sport to take these swordsmen of the sea with a rod 

 and delicate line, matching one's skill with them. I have run 

 alongside swordfishes off Santa Catalina Island within easy 



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