abalone
an edible mollusk with a thick shell and rich meat
Aleut
a native of the Aleutian islands off the coast of Alaska; in Island of the Blue Dolphins, the Russian otter hunters hire Aleuts to man their ships and help them hunt
awl
a sharp tool used for drilling holes
brackish
dirty and salty, especially as related to water
chafe
to rub against painfully
cormorant
a large sea bird
devilfish
Karana's word for a squid
fledgling
a baby bird
fowl
birds
headland
a narrow piece of land that juts out into the sea
kelp
thick brown seaweed that is very plentiful off the coast of California
mesa
a flat-topped hill with steep sides
olivella
small sea snails
parley
a conference between opposing sides, in which they peacefully discuss an issue
ravine
a small, steep canyon
reproachful
expressing disapproval
sai-sai
small, silver smelt fish that Karana dries and uses as fuel for fires
sea cave
a cave with an opening exposed to the sea; it is either partially or fully filled with water, meaning some are only accessible during low tide
sinew
stringy muscle tissue
toyon
an evergreen shrub native to California
