Chapter XIX 



The Sea-Lion's Den 



THE Pacific islands off Southern California 

 abound in sea-lions, which afford excellent 

 sport, but not with the rifle. The hunter must 

 satisfy himself with the camera, as the animals are pro- 

 tected, but the hunt is exciting, owing to the close 

 proximity of the game, and in some instances its abso- 

 lute fearlessness. One huge bull, weighing nearly half 

 a ton, comes out upon the beach at Avalon to be fed at 

 times. 



In riding over the mountains of the islands, from 

 Santa Rosa to Santa Clemente, one may hear roars and 

 bellowing coming from hundreds of feet below. If one 

 has the curiosity to locate these sounds and find out 

 what they mean, he may follow down the deep, rocky 

 canons that reach to the sea, or crawl down the face of 

 the cliffs to come suddenly, perhaps, upon the rookery 

 of the lions of the sea, that can be found along-shore in 

 isolated places. 



In years gone by these islands gave shelter to 

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