Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1885-10-17
QUIZ MEXICO LETTER.
THE MEXICAN TERRITORY OF
LOWER CALIFORNIA.
Its Capital and Surroundings - A
Barren Eel Dorado-A Descrip-
ton OF The Country.

Especial Correspondence OF the RBooRD-UHIoN. ]
AULEeE, Lower California, Oct. s, 1885.
La Paz, capital Of the Territory of Lower
California and the only city within its
limits, contains about 1000 inhabitants
The wonder is that so many have come to
this dreary place. Gold, silver, pearls and
precious stones the illuring phantoms
that have beckoned the fortune hunter to
these coasts for centuries-haveca called them
here in search Of FL Dorado, but few ex-
pect to end their days hereabouts. Being
on the shores OF the great gulf whose I'M
known waters were sailed by Cortez and
his hardy crew three centuries and half
ago. ones thoughts turn naturally to the
misty past-and indeed there is little of
present interest to be found here, whatever
the future may develop. 1t is thought, and
not without reasonable basis upon which
TO found such belief, that the almost I'M
explored range of mountains which
traverses this volcanic point of land fom
end to end, is exceedingly rich in precious
minerals Not many years ago reports
purporting to have come across the
Gulf of California to Guaymas,
and spread from thence to the mining
world-of rich placer gold found III the re-
mote district of Mulege, drew a crowd of
adventures to this region. 1t was claimed
that gold lay around on the surface in
shining nuggets, waiting only to be picked
up; IN even greater abundance than that
in Upper California, which astonished the
world century ago. People poured down
from the mining regions of Arizona
Sonora, chihuahua, and the distant mines
~ 4
told hardships in reaching this destination.
Aulege lies southwest of Gusymas and can
only be reached by journeying from that
port across the Gulf in one of the frail
pOorl y-provisioned sailing craft that
ply the stormy waters. When the eager
gold-hunteTs arrived at the eastern shore of
Baja California, after intense sufferings
from want and thirst, they found long
stretch of waterless desert to cross-and
beyond Jay only more desert and disap-
pointment, until mountain wall opposed
further progress. Then it came out that
THE WONDERFUL PLACER MINES
Were fraud and a delusion, gotten up as
boom " for Guaymas by certain shop
keepers of that city who wished to reduce
the goods in their oyerstocked stores by
encouraging immigration. Well, the
schemerS succeeded to certain ex-
tent, and Guaymas was the gamer by
considerable increase Of population
but they were not of class to
benefit border town except in the way OF
filling its prisons ard alInshOuses, being
the disappointed ones returned from Mu-
lege in rags and poverty, the gold fever that
had rioted so fiercely in their veins having
burned away the last Yestige of ambition
Not far from MuleGe-where are now some
copper mines and a sleepy town of l 500
nhabitants-surrounded by tTackless de-
serts and far remote from civilization
stands an ancient convent, that is most i'm
pressive in lis ruin and decay. IT is type
of the mission building of the distant past
when every church was fort, and every
religious ediice Veritable castle and it is
now abandoned TO Indians, bats and wild
beasts. The story Of the Jesuitic explora-
tons of lower California, as told by Father
SalvaGerra, sounds like e christianized echo
of the " Had" Even now, in the vicinity
of La Paz and Mulege, strange tales are
told Of those muscular missionaries who
pierced the heart of the peninsula with
romantic expeditions, carrying Bible and
sword together-the one as a sharp, bust
nesshke commentary on the other. They
built churches, held masses. taught the
children, bent over the sick with aolicitous
care, but all the time went around armed
to the teeth, and never forgot to look
after temporal things in the way of
pearls, gold and such treasures as
the country produced. To-day the country
IS substantially the same as when Cortes
ana hls successors explored 1.-THE same
trackless forests, unknown mountains and
uncultivated prairies, except where here
and there solitary ranch man, by proper
irrigation has made the desert to blossom
like a rose. Wherever irrigation is posi-
bic, the virgin soil yields most luxuriantly.
But want Of water is the bane of Lower
California. Only two streams fall from the
mountains into the Gulf of California, both
near the middle of the peninsula; and only
three on the Pacific side-all short streams,
which become nearly dry during the long
hot season, but are exceedingly dangerous
mountain torrents at the time of rains, In
the interior are several copious springs,
sending forth abundant streams, which run
along rocky course, and are ultimately
absorbed in the porous arid soil, or are
LOST IN sUBTERRANEAE CHANNELS
Other springs, scattered here and there,
are almost invariably found in the bare
rock, for, unfortunately. water and soil are
seldom met with in the same place. but
whenever it happens the fertility is inn
mense. In winter the rains are terrific.
but of short duration, accompanied by tre-
mendous tornadoes Of wind, sweeping the
soil from every exposed position into the
sea- leaving the luckless ranchero the al
tentative of seeking fresh fields and pas
lures new, or plying his vocation on bed
OF bare rock. During these rains the Their
mometer sometimes falls as low as 500.
The variety of climate, however, Is great, /
for when near Cape San Lucas the Their
1iiSSeter stands between 500 and 100, at
the head OF the Cuff II IS often down
to the freezing point. For about eighty ,
miles north Of Cape San Lucas the air i
mild, being tempered by a sea breeze;
out from this section north 10 Loreto
(which lies about midway between La Paz
and Mulege on the Gulf sidel, the heat is
excessive but thence, northward, the air is
cooler. On the Pacific coast the tempera-
ture is delightful, never falling below 500
nor rising above 70o. The sky is peculiarly
beautiful, of a deem cloudless blue except
sometimes during the most gorgeous sun
sets when streaks of violet, purple and
green appear upon the western horizon.
The few fertile spots OF Lower California
yield corn, sugar-cane, orchilla, maniOc
wheat, and all manner of esculent roots,
excellent grapes, from which wine is made
similar to that of the Canaries; oranges,
lemons, lines, pTunes, citrons, dates, plan
tains, olives, figs pineapples, etc. The foot
hills feed few wild sheep and goats; and
to a small extent horses, black cattle, mules
and pigs are reared. But the sea has done
its best TO make up for the barrenness of
the land, being stored with
FIsH IN INCREDIBLE NUhBsR
And variety. Among them are the halibut,
salmon, turbot, skate, pilchard, thornback.
mackerel, large oyster, barhel, soles. boni-
tos, HOLSTERS ssrdines, cod, tunnies, ancho-
yies. and pearl oysters. The gigantic
mountain wall which trayerses the entire
territory rises to an average hight of 5000
feet, the eliminating peak being called
Terro de la Giganta-the hill of the Giant
ess. 1t has two extinct volcanoes, mum er-
less springs of hot water and bitumen.
Much of il is heated by subterranean fires,
and earthquakes have been frequent The
hills are almost bare of vesture. sprinkled