Santa Barbara Channel^ etc. — Yates. 47 
in this cave by the Indians we found but little except some 
fragments of ropes made of sea-grass. Some of these ropes 
were braided with three strands,the others twisted like ordinary- 
rope used at the present day. We found also bones of a 
variety of animals which had been used as food. 
The largest cave on the Anacapas into which we rowed our 
boat consists of a chamber of about 400 feet in width, run- 
ning back about 150 feet from the arched entrance, with a 
dome-shaped roof perhaps 100 feet high, rising from the cir- 
cumference in a regular curve to the center. The floor of this 
cave is covered by water, and edged by a pebbly beach which 
extends around the interior, upon which we landed. Another 
which we called the Dark cave, is in the shape of a long gallery 
just about large enough to admit a small row-boat, but ex- 
tends for some distance. It is divided into three distinct 
chambers, the openings between being so small that we 
had to bend over in order to pass through. The interior 
was so dark that, although we had two candles burning we 
could only tell where the walls were by alternately bumping 
our heads and elbows against them. 
In passing along the bluffs in which the caves are situated, 
the}^ present a panorama of unique and beautiful scenery, 
where the richness of color and peculiarity of outline are 
unequaled at any other point, the water for a great portion of 
the distance being perfectly calm, and so transparent that the 
flora and fauna of its depths may be as easily studied as upon 
the surface; bright orange-colored fishes darting in and out 
among the dark green sea-weeds, the shells, corallines and 
other inhabitants of the deep can there be studied in their 
native element. 
The passing of every point opens up a new view in kaleido- 
scopic succession of picturesque beauty ; steep w'eather-worn 
faces of perpendicular bluffs; deep fissures and wierd, myste- 
rious caverns, from the tide-worn recesses of which issue the 
loud and continuous barking of seals ; the undulating lines 
of flying flocks of brown pelicans ; the ever changing colors of 
sea and shore, keep one continually on the lookout, that no 
portion of the interesting panorama be missed. 
The interest increases until it culminates on reaching the 
Grand Arch at the eastern extremity of the group (see sketch 
