Some of them, especially those living on the islands (now known as San Clemente, Santa Catalina, Anacapa, Santa Barbara, Santa Rosa, San Miguel, and Santa Cruz), were superior to those found inland.

They rowed in pine canoes having a seating capacity of twelve or thirteen men, and were expert fishermen.

They dressed in the skins of animals, were rude agriculturists, and built for themselves shelters or huts of willows, tules, and mud.
The principal written source of authority for our knowledge of the Indians at the time of the arrival of the Fathers is Fray Geronimo Boscana's _Chinigchinich: A Historical Account, etc., of the Indians of San Juan Capistrano_.

There are many interesting things in this account, some of importance, and others of very slight value.

He insists that there was a great difference in the intelligence of the natives north of Santa Barbara and those to the south, in favor of the former.