The daily Cairo bulletin. (Cairo, Ill.) 1878-1???, 1884-03-02
WESTERN RAMBLINGS.
Special Correspondence to The Bulletin.

SAN DIEGO, CAL, Feb. l9.-The raising
of olives is more largely engaged in her,
than any other place We have visited. We
see orchards containing ten to twenty acres
set exclusively in olives, and attempts are
being made to rear the olive here without
irrigation on tue uplanis, but We hardly
think it will be success without at least
an occasional irrigation. 1t is clsilned that
olive raising is valuable business. Sew.
enty,fve cents to dollar per gallon is the
price realized now. Much of the fruit is
used as table luxury, first having been
| prepared 10y packing in salt brine and then
soaked in pure water. Your correspondents
palate rejected the fruit as decidedly OBJ
noxious, not having as yet been educated
up (or DOWN to that taste. The future
outlook is that San Diego will have an
olive oil msnufactory at no distant day.
National City, three miles further up the
bay, is small town that starel with a
flourish of uumpets, but she would not
boom to any extent; it is the terminus of
the Southern California Riilroad and the
prospective point for a railroad from the
City of Mexico. Looking southeast, the
mountains of Mexico are plainly visible, the
point on which stands the monumental line
post between Mexico AMI the United States
is but fifteen miles off and plainly to he
seen. Old town is short distance north
OF San Diego proper. The buildings are Of
the old spanish style, built OF sun dried
brick, msny of which are In a diapid ,tel
condition. Ga the hull, just back OF the
town, may still be seen evidences OF Com.
Stockton's old fort, which was hastily
thrown up the night be stole into the her.
Dor, passing the guns of the Mexican fort
as It's entrance, dense fog tavoring his
movements. Not until the old commodor.
had given them morning salute of shot
and she'll from his fort, did the town know
of his near presence. Taken so by surprise
it was not long until the Mexican garrison
run up the white flag, and before the sun
had set, the town and adjoining forts were
all in the hands Of the Americ soldi.rs.
An old cannon that has been tshed ouc OF
the bay, wherein the Mexicans mad thrown
it, is quite an interesting relic of the Mex
lean war; snd may be seen at the bul. ding
of the II istoncal Society. We noted down
the following descriptions found on the
cannon: "Auo, De. 1888, Garolus Sertius
Aispaniarium Etnda Romref, Manila, FL.
Jupiter, Viola, Tlful Managregia." The
cannon is about SIX feet in length. On f
the old wooden carriage wheels is still in
fair state of preservation, it carries ones
mind back to the age of wooden plows, and
the like.
A pleasant ride in hired skiff, across he
smooth surface Of the bay out some six
miles just on the outside Of the gateway
to the harb)r, brings US to where some
whalers are at anchor. Whale catching is
quite an exciting sport, but only engaged
in by the most hardy seamen. When a
whale is seen to Spout" not far from land,
the boats are at once got ready and away
go all hands 10 the chase. When close
enough harpOon is sent with the rapidly
of an arrow into the huge carcas, away be
darts pulling out the line at a rapid rate
The seamen in pursuit know how many
minutes is likely to eapse before he rises
to get another breath of air, gun loaded
with bomb harpoon is got ready AMI as
he comes up the gun IS discharged, and an
internal machine, with powde. an fuse to
1t is sent into the monster, where it ex-
plOdes, doing fearful work about the vitals
of the terror-stricken fish, another and
another is sent in until the huge captive
gives up the ghost, then he is towed out,
and when high tide sets in great eff jrts
are made to get him as Tar out On the beach
as possible, when the tide receies lie lies
high and dry on land on one side.
Now all is hustle and hustle to get
the bubber cut of the side which
lies up. 1t is first cut into pieces about two
feet square, similar TO cutting ice, the blub-
Der or fat part IS sometimes over foot in
thickness. After those squares are got
aboard the ship they are then cut into
strips, and each strip gashed in slices Sc
that it all holds together; large forks are
used to put them into the kettle and when
boiled to "cracklin' or long enough to
dissolve the oil, the "cracklins" are taken
out with forks and thrown under the kettle
for fuel, BY the time high tide comes in
again, they are ready to turn the carcass
which can be done readily, and as the tide
goes out leaves it on the beach with thu
other side up ready to be blocked up fo
the kettles. From fifty to one hundred