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Ella M. Sexton - Stories of California
IN SALT WATER AND FRESH
Tom and Retta Ransom were two of the happiest children in the state, I believe, when told that their
summer vacation was to be spent at Catalina Island. To see the wonderful fish that swim in those warm,
Southern waters, to watch them through the glass-bottomed boat, to dip out funny sea-flowers with a net,
or catch the pretty kingfish and perhaps a "yellowtail," - why, they could talk of nothing else!
How they skipped and danced and chattered about the trip! At last Mamma said, "Well, everything is
packed and ready, and we go to-morrow." Then what fun it was to stand on the steamer's deck and sail
"right out through the Golden Gate," as Retta said. The big green billows of the Pacific Ocean caught the
boat as she crossed the outside bar and tossed salt spray almost into their faces. Little the children cared
for the drops of water, for they were so glad to be off on their trip and to say good-by to San Francisco's
summer fog and cold winds for a time.
And there on Seal Rocks, near the Cliff House, were the seals, or rather sea-lions, clumsy creatures like
black rubber sacks with fins, or flippers, and a head. Some were lying in the sun and others crawling up
the steep, wet rocks. Those highest up were asleep and quiet, but most of them kept barking or growling
as they tried to find a sunny place to bask in. Sometimes when frightened these sea-lions will pitch
headlong from high rocks into the ocean and dive out of sight at once. Mrs. Ransom said she
remembered seeing one that was kept for years in a salt-water tank, and that, although they seem so
clumsy, this sea-lion jumped so quick that he caught a fish thrown to him before it touched the water.
Once fur-seals were in great numbers off our coast, and lived on the rocks as these sea-lions now do. But
Indians, or later on white hunters, killed them, or drove them up north where the crack of the rifle is not
heard.
On to the south the steamer sailed through the foaming waters, and as Tom stood watching the
white-capped waves go dancing by, he saw, two or three times, a black fin come up, and then another. At
last a man said, "Look at the porpoises playing." Tom screamed with delight as they jumped and chased
each other till their black, shiny backs were clear out of water. These fish are sometimes called sea-hogs
and are five or six feet long. Either to get their food of small fish, or in play, they keep swimming and
diving near the tops of the breakers. Fishermen catch them with a strong hook and use the thick, leathery
skin for straps or strings, while they try oil out of their blubber or fat.
All that day and night the boat kept steadily on her way, and the next morning they were in Santa
Barbara Channel. It was so pleasant sailing on this summer sea in the soft, warm sunshine that even the
sea-sick ladies felt better and came on deck. Mamma agreed with the children that the steamer trip was
much nicer than the hot, dusty cars. Just then some one called, "See the whale," and looking quick Tom
and Retta saw what seemed a fountain of water rising high in the air about half a mile away. Soon
another went up, and two or three more, for the gray hump-backed whales like this stretch of smooth bay.
They are warm-blooded animals and not fish at all, so they must come to the top of the waves for air to
breathe. The air and water spout out through "blow-holes" on top of the whale's head, and rise like steam
in the colder air. The children's mother told them that the whale is the largest of all animals, and that it
lives on little jellyfish. It swims with its great mouth wide open and catches all the tiny sea creatures in
its path. A fringe of whalebone hangs down from the roof of the whale's mouth, and he strains the water
out through this and swallows the fish. As the boat went on, the children said, "There she blows," as the
sailors do when they see whales spouting in the distance.
Late that night the steamer got to San Pedro, and you may be sure Tom and Retta were up early the next
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