The Tribe of Seriola 353 



plete demoralisation that fills the soul of the still 

 angler, who, from a simple philosopher of the string- 

 piece, becomes a wild man ; and to see these anglers stand- 

 ing on the sands, the line of one entangled with that of an- 

 other while the fish are biting, is to witness unutterable 

 anguish no contingency so tries the soul of man the 

 temptation of Saint Anthony was a bagatelle to that 

 which dangles red before these martyrs; who invari- 

 ably fall from grace, and swear by Jove and all the 

 gods and prophets. 



It is the fish of the people, and one of the sights in 

 summer alongshore is to see the yellowtail fleet in 

 August drifting or anchored at Avalon Bay. There 

 are from fifty to one hundred boats, ranging from row- 

 boats to launches, with men, women, and children 

 angling for a fish that averages twenty-five pounds. No 

 such rod-fishing can be seen anywhere in the world, so 

 far as known, and this is said advisedly, this one 

 fish alone would make the angling reputation of South- 

 ern California. The big island is a wind-break, giving 

 water often as smooth as glass and of an ineffable 

 blue. Glancing down into it you see a wealth of 

 streamers, long beams of light pulsating, throbbing, 

 extending here and there and bringing out into strong 

 relief a variety of marvellous shapes, crystals, the very 

 ghosts of animal life, yet living, pulsating animals. The 

 most ardent angler cannot fail to notice these fairy 

 forms, as some are fishing in boats with glass bottoms 

 through which the smallest creatures are seen with 



