The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1874-01-30
FRIDAY-...........JANUARYs 80, 1874.
Letter from n Richmond Man on His
Travels
Correspondence OF the Richmond Dispatch.l
CAMP GRANT, ARIZONA TERRITORY
December 16, 1878.
There are two modes OF travel

FROM SAN FRANCISCO To ARIZONA
the overland stage from San Diego 70 Arizona
CITY. which is the one usually selected by
citizens with light baggage and whose time
i sunposed to be money: and the ali-water-
route by sea, guilt, and river. Army officers,
who usually have much baggage, ana take
no special note of time, generally prefer the
latter-the privilege Of choice being granted
them. Visions of stage-rides in Old Virginia
arising to my memory, the recotiect'ohs
whereof were not as an oasis IN the
desert. induced me to follow the cX-
ample of my predecessors, and accoio,
inclv OH the 25th of October l embarked
on the steamship Montana, 4 screw propeller,
with goodlv amount OF canvas atso' !he
dav was beautiful. calm, and balmy, ana ID
few hours tie golden shores of California iad
faded away, and we were left to the tender
mercies of the broad Pacific. Among the
were Dr.. ID. l.. Magrnder, OF Ma
rylond the medical director of this depart
ment and Lieutenant Robert London, OF
Wilmington, \. G.. More charming weather
or calmer sea we could not have been olesScu
with had it been prepared to our order.
With agreeable company, table loaded Win
good things, sleeping, reading, playing games,
and sightseeing, the days glided deilShtiuiiy
by. The memory Of the first sunset delights
NE now rs / recall the beauty OF the re-
splcndent orb sinking from the azure SKY
into the distant waters. After the long t"l-
lieht had softly passed into night, ne"
moon gladdened our eyes and continued 10
bt us on our way throughout the journey.
Among the first objects of interest We en-
was huge whale, quite near us,
shouting water, which scattered in spray like
a fountain rising from the briny deep. Then
we met school of porpoises (the sea.hog or
putting pig), with their short, rounded snout,
very actiye, swimming and playing about
the vessel, running race with it, and leapiDg
ont Of the water in their sports. The ocean
being calm, we could see them many rect
below the surface. There must have been
thousands of them, extending Tor miies.
They are sometimes caught for their bluD-
hcr. which Yields q fine oil, and their SKIN
makes an excellent leather.
The sprightly fyins-fsh, which relieves the
monotony OF occan-lile rs birds DO the silence
of the woods, were very abundant. Their
flyins faculty, the pleasing spectacle pre-.
seuteu as they sportcd around the bow OF
Tie boat, the glitter Of their beautiful colors
in the bright autumnal sun, the delicate
flavor of their flesh, and the fact of their not
III frequently lcaping on board ships, attract
ed our interest and attention. .,
Nothing in the fish family, however, caused
80 much interest and pleasure rs sight OF
the dolphin. whose beauty has so lnsplrec
the muse of poetry. Their beauty is not
confined to the diving state, for when follow
ing the ship nothing could be more beautiful
on calm. sunny day in the clear water OF
mid.occan than to see the brilliant creatures
d,riin. around tue vessel, displaying their
eyer.yaryins tints of golden, blue, and green
with every movement. They gather around
auy iloatiug object, and are readily caught
by 4 hook or harpoon. The noise and COM
motion of our Stcrn-wheel rendered 1t dllh-
cult TO capture one; bat success finally
crowned our efforts, to the delight OF all The
passeucc1s. When brought upon deck the
play of rapidly changing colors commenced,
which has caused tie poet to say
Dies like the dolphin, whom each rans imbues
With new color aS it gdsnS away,
The last still lovees, I'LL it's gone anu all Is gray
The flesh of this fish is considered good
food-it is white, though rather dry. Sail.
ors have an idea, which is probably true,
that it is sometimes unwholeSome-
even poisonous and are in the habit
of boiling piece of silver money
with the fish to detect the fact; and
if the piece be furnished by the boiling
the fish is rejected; if it remains bright, it is
considered fit for the table. The star-llsh
was occasionally seen, and i number OF bo-
nitas, barcotas, and other varieties were
hooked: so we IeaSted daily on fresh flsh.
Thus we sailed on over the calm waters,
sometimes as smooth as mirror, and daily
becoming more like indigo, with cloudlesS
skv and mild, balmy atmosphere, cheered
at night with growing moon and the luml'
nous. phoSphoresccnt sea, when on the
morning of the seventh day Cape st. Lucas
was visible in the dim distance, where we
A few hours later dropped anchor to deliver
some freight and take number OF cattle
aboard.
Three houses, about dozen MeXlcans,
and 4 herd of cattle seemed to constitute the
settlement. Several of the latter were made
TO swim out to the ship, a rope then tas-
tened around their horns, and thus hoiSted
aboard This was to me new mode OF hand
ling live stock, and awaited the perform.
ance with a curious but painful anxiety,
fully expecting to see the horns break off or
pul out. Leaving the cape, we headed up
the Gulf of California, which, among other
things. is noted for it's pearls. We soon
crossed large number of sharks, which
abound in these waters and annoy the pearl
divers greatly, who defend themselves by
taking down with them an iron spike, eight
or ten inches long, and sharpened at both
ends. From the situation of tue mouth.
these sea.tisers are obliged to turn on their
sides or backs to seize large object, when
this spike is thrust into their mouth In such
a manner as to efectually gag them. Sharp
practice that Having read somewhere of the
extreme affection of the shark for its young,
which are said 10 take refuge when alarmed
in the stomach of the parent, incidentally
mentioned the fact, much to the amusement
of an old seaman, who asserted that
the sharks of that locality were regular can
nibuls. and whatever entered their jaws lett
hone behind. The wind now began to blow,
tbe ship to roll, the sky overcast with om-
nous clouds, and Mr.. Shark all around us.
thought of the good luck we had been bless
ed With, when Bret Harte's aphorism that
50 however i. runs it must change" suggested
itself and caused me to look more Sc
riousIy at the sharks, more anxlously at
the Sky, for terrific storms are not
unfreduent in this gulf. That night, the
next day. and next night, we got on
pretty well, but the following morning The
wind blew much harder, the ship tossed
more decidedly, the waves lashed the ship
more ansrily and occasionally broke over
The deck, when the passengers, with re-
unaninity, pronounced u rouge,
positively rough, and Degan TO wish Tor iand;
One of them seriously stated that he would
willingly exchange his interest in the Gult
of California, including the oysters ana un-'
pearls, TOR one inch of dry land;