New-York tribune., 1867-05-31
4 cPUISE IN THE GULF or California;
No. l.
uoNTEREY-MAGDALENA DAY-MAzATLAN.
nla---.


Observation-Disclosures BAY-MAzArLAN'
v,o Our Special Correspondent
r''- MAzArLAN, Mexico, April 7, 1867
Pear-Admiral H. K. Thatcher, in command OF the
,-rtb Pacific Squadron, removed his nag Hom INC
tooncr vanderbilt TO this ship on the loth ut, anu
mon the following day sailed cut OF tho "Goueh 'a'e
~ ,t t,e ports in tho Gulf of California and on tho
,rovican coast The Vanderbilt although hrstciaSS
- opsurnes 40 much coal that her continued service
40 an ordinary cruising vessel will probably not DO
allowed by the Department she IL expecteo TO 80 gb T
of commission upon the arrival OF to NM ~
~ to he the flagship OF the squadron Ihe oarahae % q
soop ofwar secondrate carrying IL guns anu ayV1 % & %
men She commanded by CAPT IN ~ mort one Of the
boers commenced leaking compelling US 10 pun P lo . 90
Bay of Monterey, which We reached Oh 'no Niois -
the lGth ,,ovrzpnx
Tho Bay of Monterey very imperfcctly protected tee by
,a ioud and I'm time Of storm would probably De an uI
safe nacc for ship to lie at anchor the village Is stu
ated upon small plateau extending our imeo o b;, I'M, he
suTToupdcd on the north and west by towering mis- pe
vond which beautiful and ferIle valleys, Pou"o.5
large crops Of most excellent wheat Dhesy m t ynnto5 Of
Tho pacific saw the bodies OF several Wnaie5 hoatns
in shallow waters near to Inc TO "e see man
standing upright in the belly OF one OF tLese seq 80
choppmg Mt the bubber as @ II ne %eI 5ns no yety 9s
est fst tree, s}rsti Is a very HO'''' 'A''eA
cb attention is given by the farmers TO stockraDg,
d to making butter and cheese Some dairy iars sup
oIt from 900 To cowB and tns on butter arc low
stored waiting transportation to San Francisco ana oor
The present isolated position Of Monterey has quite
depresng influence upon enterprise and trade situated
unon the extreme point Of the Cape thcre is 10 iu
Communication with San Francisco eAeePt Dy svaeo M
route connecting with the railroad nt san jose W e
distant Tho route owing to the present uinpIo@N1u @
condition Of the roads and tho ln,eTens % S oenimes
imnossabe The population OF Monterey Is ABOUT oVO vi
SEQ composed principally OF spahiards Aicilo'' "nu
''''' MAGDALESA RAY AND CARE ST. LUCAS: -,
Orr vessel anchored In Magdalenn Bay at O'CLOCK on
the morning Of the oath OF March u u large lng.hu
seo whose existence ia said to have been unknown pmor m
W. fletcher of tho English service 1t IS about 100
miles 10 the northeast Of Cape ST. Lucas Inc slh VI
Margarta forms its sea face Tho entrance TO te pay
,,"rs the ocean ia about two miles wide The geheraI
facn ~ tbe island and OF the main land Is most unln
vitng being entirely destitute OF trees ana without any
"gof3on except species of cactus, whichseeus 10 DC
able 10 grow and flourish even without bol OF hohtc
IN travtrsed several portions OF inc MAN nu
orhe most part OF cOngOmerate pebbles ana stones a
pareuty heaVod up from the bottom OF te oCea oy wa
canic agency. In the valleys there are marshes anu
pools tho water, however beng gue DrcSi9, % t Inc
during the rainy season streams OF Nat now bio,
Inv the wild beasts But this water too Tor seLle ueH
planned reason, IL said 70 De DUCT anu phd IN the
waters of this bay and wild game is 10 De lOuhu In
abundance on the shore IL te Toofo M DS we hunted ihe
hills and plains faithfully, and saw nothing Dut sheak
Ing Won, O , brJs Of any kind We also dragged the
waters with sCincs, and found Dut lew nsi anu nosc
@re dry and without flavor We saw no signs OF tor
Meedaicna bay large. safe, and convenient harbof
I'm time Of severe Storm and certainly would be most
cl yble rendezvous for squadron guarding OF Whtchns
he coasts OF Mexico California An enemy cOu!u 10,
srnnort np opposing the surrounding barren ana
nI6sptsble land, without an mmen3e naya loti Inc
coast between tho island Of I'garita ana CIpe o. tu
the southern extremity OH IennsnlaiS WI %
and uneven. with stupendous mountains ~ I1o ~ gto @
are few "Tanchcs' ana giahng ulstllcts WIZ
most luscious grapes and bouuhu suppts OF peer anu
poultry, but FOR the most part nc Wnoio len s'S,9 @
10 be barren inhospitabe whte uhsuscepNO1o VI suS
| talning any considerable lopuhtloh'
On tbe morning OF the 18th Of March ship anchored
under the Cresion Island which forms mo norm
| I'M tnv."ra up To great hight and bo seen aud
readily recognized far 40 sea. ~ unOfu8 pltcIoh n
b baor a entirely open 20 the south casters which are
most frequent during the rainy season. A~iiau u tue
inon OF 10 COO or 1900 composed OF Mcxcans English
Germans Americans, and French Inc iornigois I
nd to@ Ite Interest Mexican affairs except 40 iar
a. t.y nnnenco otherwise effect their lHdylduai
interests There is little evidence Of thrift enter
prise energy among the MeNcans dhey sem IN, con-
tent with nero existence Their houses are Tor te most
part. wrotchcd novels without any OK the comforts OF
death upon what they seem to regard as living.
Old men, young mcn ana boys VIII SIT a o gamlilhB
watching the turn OF tho cards with the most intense In
tercst and apparently utterly obyious OF a things else
larry worthless, and dirty as the men, and spend large
proportion 81 the day lomg In swIngng hainmoch ana
there were great many Americans IN this portion oi
Mexico VINO were 9i,sS a. ing S' to he nsrcSfIty
OF life and property Upon the breaking UP OF Tue eDe,
armies OF tho Southwest at the close OF our late cyl
vr thcre Was FOR a time ~ well known. consider
milo iunnx OF ex Rebel soldiers and officers into Mexico.
am Informed that many OF this class came 10 Mazatan
breathing ont upon tho Abolition Lincoln dospot-
ism" and avowng their inneXblo determination 20 re-
main In exile during tho rest OF their yes, rather than
submit tho supremacy of the Federal Goycrnmcnt:
but short experience OF lie In these regions changed
minds and tho greater portion OF them have already
returned 10 tho United states.
Mazatlan, principally through the enterprise or
foreigners has large trade ana increasing commerce
There limo OF steamers running from tins and other
parts OF the gulf 10 san FRANCISCO. Tho Germans here
seem to be tho leading class In commerce Tho Gov
ernur's house. the Custom House aud many OF those oc
cuped by foreign residents. very confortabio and
| substantial structures They are built or ADOBE
covered with hard white plaster and have largo airy
halls adapted 20 the climate, which IA very hot IN Mid
The foreign residents have respectable "cuD
public plaza In the center OF the town It consats OF
small plot Of ucosed ground laid of In walks and
meuted with "a few scattered lemon trees, with rough
seats benches arranged either side II Is place OF
great resort, where women and children gather
after sundOwn. and walk and chat aud smoke
command Of Gen. Martinez, with OF trumpetcrs
and drummers also meet hero certain evenings and
make a tremendous noise To tho great delight Of the Mex
lean ctiZons The pleasant, or dry" season, at this
point OF the coast lasts from Dccembcrto May inclusive
During this interval tho sky Is nearly always clear no
rain falls and the land and sea brcezcs preya making
| the mir cool and braCng But from June 10 November
land and cease the heat gradually increases
the gather and tho entire country Is deuged with
excessive rains Toward the close OF the rainy season.
the rays tho hot docompOse the vegetable matter
of saturated SOIL and produce malaria, which even
the natives cannot breathe with mpuliy. At this sea
fovcrs OF various types prevail to an alarming eN
| tent.