6 
occasions, as no fish were to be had. The warm stream bathing 
the shores of Santa Barbara, (already noted), affords genial 
resort to various species of fish, which, like all fish found in 
warm water, are lean and poor and of little value to the prac¬ 
tical fisherman. 
Sea Bass of various kinds are found around these islands in 
limited numbers; they range from twelve to twenty inches 
in length, speckled on the back, plump and solid; when fresh 
they afford palatable food, when salted they become dry and 
tough. The Tautog family are found in considerable numbers, 
they are coarse-grained and tasteless. Barracouta are plenty, 
ranging from twenty to thirty inches in length, spare, lean and 
dry; this fish is very savage, and annoy the fishermen, often 
carrying off their gear. 
In the summer season mackerel are found in the channel; 
they congregate in considerable numbers, and range from ten to 
twelve inches in length, lean, poor and slimy; they bear some 
resemblance to the “Dollar mackerel” on the eastern coast, 
and when salted are hard and tough. In the season of 1859 
the writer caught 246 barrels of poor mackerel in Prisoner’s 
Cove, on the north-east side of Santa Cruz island. Opposite 
the old mission of Santa Barbara we encountered large bodies 
at times. They appeared to gravitate to the "westward, but we 
have not been able to trace them to any higher latitudes. They 
are annually taken along the coast of California, but not in 
sufficient, numbers to justify any great preparation. The scarcity 
of fat mackerel along the north-west coast is a fatal drawback 
to our commercial development. The lean clipper with sym¬ 
metrical lines, the trim and rig of the vessel, the cut and set of 
the sails, the emulation among the crew to excel over each 
other, the small steering, the graceful walk on deck, the fierce 
determination to be high line, the keen maneuvering at the 
rail, the dignified demeanor in the boat, and all the graces 
clustering around that invigorating industry, and the lively 
ambition which it kindles in the youthful breast, renders the 
mackerel fishing schooner the most inspiring nursery for prac¬ 
tical seamanship; the want of this animating school is deeply 
deplored, and operates to retard the building of fast vessels on 
our coast. 
Sea Bass are found in the vicinity of the Golden Gate. 
Some of them are very large; they are savage, and annoying 
