THE MARLIN OR SPEARFISH 



smooth as glass. About noon the westerly 

 trades begin to blow. Sometimes it is a 

 gentle wind but often it blows hard and the 

 sea becomes too rough for comfortable fish- 

 ing after two o'clock. 



We made an early start from Avalon in 

 order to take advantage of a smooth sea, 

 coasted along lovely Santa Catalina, cleared 

 the island, and steered due south for the 

 camp at San Clemente. 



It was not long before the fog which over- 

 hangs the islands in the early mornings lifted 

 so that we could see San Clemente in the 

 distance. 



San Clemente is evidently the overflow 

 of a great volcano and is a mountain of rock 

 and lava rising from the sea. It is studded 

 with caverns and caves, not only along the 

 coast line but beneath it and up its canon- 

 riven sides. 



The flora consists of arborvitae, ironwood, 

 cactus, and ice-plants, and wild oats grow 

 on the tableland. 



[79] 



