An Account of the Indiaus of the Santa Barbara Islands in California. 25 



probable that each island had its own dialect and possibly there were 

 more than two distinct . languages. 



The Indians of the islands were taller and better built than 

 those further north, and in appearance they were iu many respects 

 prepossessing. The complection of the women and children was fairer 

 than of those on the mainland, or those further north. They went 

 dressed in gowns made of skins of seal, otter and fox, as well as of 

 birds, the gowns being well made and ornainented. 



la manner the Indians were gentle and peaceful, though they 

 were armed with bows and arrows. They were grateful for favors and 

 liberal with their provisions and trinkets. They showed however great 

 cunning in stealing. 



The sites of the Iudian villages were generally close to the 

 shore and near to drinking water. Of their villages nothing more now 

 remains than shellheaps. Their houses seemed to be made of stakes, 

 canes or of driftwood, and had a round form, and often covered with 

 skins. Besides conical and closed houses they had windbreaks of round 

 or semicircular form. 



The Utensils of the Iudians were quite numerous and well made. 

 They had circular stone mortars with pestles made of soapstone and 

 steatite, princi pally found on Catalina and Santa Rosa Islands. These 

 pestles were often ornamented. The largest mortars would hold four 

 gallons, while the smallest only a quart. They were used for griuding 

 accrus, nuts, seeds and grasshoppers. Fiat, oblong stones were used 

 for baking tortillas. 



Cups, bowls, ladles were eut frora fireproof stone, and often 

 highly polished. Knives were made of bone and flint, some were for 

 every day use, others of the largest size were for ceremoniál pur- 

 poses. The shell of the abalone (Haliotis) was used for cups and 

 plates. The women were experts in making baskets, and the one re- 

 maining from San Nicolas shows great skill. They were braided from 

 various kinds of roots and fibres. Those for holding water were lined 

 with asphaltum. Cooking was done by dropping hot stones in these 

 baskets. 



Fermented drinks and lemonades were made by pouring water 

 over certain seeds coated with citric acid. 



Smoking Utensils are common in the shellheaps. They were made 

 of serpentine stone and furnished with mouthpieces, cemented with 

 asphaltum. Tobacco (tabaco) was and is yet growing wild on the 

 islands. 



