The Weekly Kansas chief. [volume] (Troy, Kan.) 1872-1918, 1873-01-30
INTERRsTlNls GEOGRAPHlCAL FACT
LARGE yALT.WATER LAKE Or BAY
IN LOWER CALIFORNIA.

1t is not generally known that a great iaguna,
or as it is termed an INLAND sea-" exists in Low
er California. Though few natives and In
dams have always been aware of the fact, it evil
IDENTIFY Is unknown to geographers, for in pub
| lshed maps, from the earliest period down to the
present time, is any such body of water laid
down. That the lake exists there can be no ques-
| ton, rs is evidenced by whaling captains now in
port. In length it reaches from latitude 26o4V TO
1924, or something less than one hundred miles,
| and in width extends from twenty to fifty miles,
giving it an irregular shape. One Of our infor-
mauts, Mr.. Selim +. Woodwork, who has rccen
| tly returned from that locality, gives us some
interesting details of this lake or bay.
DISCOVERY OF THE LAKE.-This body of water
was first "discOvered" for all practical purposes,
by Capt. Scammon, of the whaling ship Ocean
Bird, of this port, who entered it three years ago.
and quickly filed up his ship there He found
the waters of this "sea," rs he terms it, abound
ing in whales, the females resorting thither be-
tween December and April, to calye. He kept
the discovery a secret, and on the following sea-
son went there again, returning with the same
success, and exciting the wonder of his compecrs
in the whaling business at his unaccountable
luck.
At last his mate, who had n brother comman-
ding whaler in the northern seas, wrote to the
latter at the Sandwish Islands, informing him of
the fact, and the news thus getting abroad, ey-
son, and some succeeded in effecting entrance.
Others were unable to do so, owing tn the intri-
cacy Of the channel. Ship Black Warrior was
lost in the attempt, and, after that, part of the
fleet getting scared at the place, left, and never
returned Those that entered, however, last sea-
son, got well repaid for their enterprise and the
Ocean Bird, particularly made another good
thing out Of it, The news is now thoroughly
circulated among the whalers of Honolulu, and
in short time there will be fifty vessels on
the way there.
The CHANNEL, BAR AND WHALE FisIIfRY.-
The channel lies some distance north of the 9th
parallel of latitude, below the southern end of
Cetlros Island. The land is low and sandy. and
covered with stunted shrubbery, which however,
is invisible some distance ut sea. The sea breaks
heavily in bad weather.; two miles ont, and, ow-
ing to this, and the fact that the channel is
difficult and dangerous for those who are not ac-
quaintet. At high tide three fathOms water can
be carried in, but only twelve feet mt low tide
For this reason only small ships should venture
to cross the bar, which assumes to strangers
very formidable appearance. After crossing the
bar the water deepens to five, and soon after to
seven fathoms, which depth is found in nearly
every part. The entrance is between low sand
pits, not mere than thousand yards apart
From this the lake opens at once, and presents
broad and fine looking expanse of water. 1t
abOunds in seal and whale. Our informant, in
speaking of the latter, remarked that the place
was alive with them" 1t is not likely that they
will prove abundant after the approaching
whaling fleet have killed off the COW whales and
driven them away from their ancient haunt
The Mexican government, quick to profit 10y the
eh'erpr,se anu i''unsi! VI ".ners' nave aifeauy
for whaling purposes. The waters being gene
raiis shoo'n' 'he nSnei'es art pursued Win ease
and success.
DISCOVERY OF VALUABLE GUANO ISLANDS,
Other valuable resources have been discovered in
this lake. In it are five islands, situated toward
the western border, two of which are found to
contain immense deposits of guano, and more or
less exists on all the Others. The largest island
is about three miles long by mile III width, and
on this alone it is estimated that there are up
wards of two hundred Thousand tons of guanO.
Specimens of this were brought here by Capt.
Scamm0n, who came up on the last trip of the
steamer Senator. 1t proves to be precisely the
same as that found of Glide Island, being seal
and bird deposits In fact, all the guano found
along the coast is of the same quality.
GREAT DEPOSITS OF S.Ir-NISER,I Wr.rru
still another resource has been discovered I'm
u,ru,e eposits of salt exist along tb, marvin. Of
the lake. produced by the process of eyappration
which has been going on for ages. Mexican
has secured from his government the exclusive
right to work and export this, and he had, ut the
last accounts, several schooner loads ready for
shipment. These salt deposits of infinite ex-
tent, and exists in all directions around the bor-
ders Of The lake. There. are also evidences of
great mineral wealth in the highlands.
SCENERY AND INuABIrANTs.-Tbe scenery is
mountainous and ireary. Low. stnntcd shyuh
hery and sand are ali that can he seen in
amy direction except to the eastward wI.r, the
inland mountains come down to within a few
miles of the margin. These mountains ,pr,,r
TO be lofty. and arr clothed with pin, and cedar
snch as are foupd in Upper California. Only n
few scattered Inhabitants Indiaus-ore f,mnd
No fresh water exists within MANY mile, of the
ocean. exccpt mt the old deserted Mission of san
Jorir and mt San Iyuacio, immediately Iack of
Turtle Bay At the former place there are five
Indians hut no Mexicans, and at the latter STA
tion about as many more These make perio,li-
cal visits to the sea coast in times of famine 10
feast on ahalones. muscles and the like They
are the most miserable creatures imayinalle-
wretchedly clad, half starved, and iulabting the
crumbling adobe huts of their dptspasados. Oc-
casionally a cattle drover, with his herds, from
the lower country (La Paz San jose. &c., passes
route for California, but these instances ars