Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1889-08-03
THE CITY OF PEACE.
TYPICAL HOMES OF ARIsToCRATIC
MEXICANs.
Quaint Customs and Charming Hospi.
taity-Lower California's Ancient
Capitalize.
Especial Correspondence of the REcoRD-U UNION /
Ia PL1 IL "a Marinn

| Especial Correspondence of the REcoRp-UN1os I
La PAz q. Cl, Mexico.
You may search all the Encyclopedias
of Universal knowledge and the Gazetteers
of the World the histories and
geographies-without finding anything
about La Paz, except the bare fact that it
is the capital of Baja California and is
] located on the sulf side of the peninsula,
near its southern end, facing bay which
is also called La Paz.
| European eyes first looked upon the spot
about $50 years ago, when a ship, under
orders from Herman Cortez, came sailing
into the bay. Cortez himself came here
few months afterwards, while exploring
the gulf which for three centuries bore
his name; and, having anchored and
looked about him, being impressed by the
same calm that to-day prevails, he dubbed
both sea and shore La Pdz-"The Peace"
One hundred and seTenty-fve years later
lin l710) another famous character visited
the place-Alexander Selkirk, then sail
ingmaster of the Dover tone of Woodes
Rogers heetl, who, on his way from the
Island Of Juan Fernandez, was compelled
to lay here some weeks for repairs to his
ship.
After Cortez, came host of mission
aries, and in the wake of the missionaries
followed number Of Spanish expeditions.
and the efforts of both toward christian
ization and colonization we're mainly con-
fined to this vicinity-probably on ac-
count of the gold in the nearby Ceralbo
Island and the richness of the pearl
fisheries hereabouts: English expeditions
also came to various points-the earlier
ones for the express purpose Of capturing
the richiy-laden galleons on their voyage
from Manila to Mexico, and in more recent
years for geographical aud scientific pur-
poses.
The first mission in either California
that of Our Lady of Loreto--was founded
in 1897, on the gulf side of the peninsula,
in latitude 29o 30/, by Father Jose Marie
Salyatierra. There were several others
near. the eastern coast, notably those
known as Dolores del Sur, Santa Rosa de
Molige, and San Francisco de Vigge.
BY the way, between La Paz and San
Jose del Cabo, is the old town of Loreto,
or what is left of it, which was
THE ANCIENT CAPITAL
OF the two CALIFORNIA;, Upper and Lower,
and the place where the first mission was
established. The site seems to have been
badly chosen, as from time to time por-
tions of it were carried away by water, and
now all that remains is the mission church
and its dependant buildings. It is worth
making detour to visit this old-time
sanctuary, which is still kept in tolerable
repair. 1t is of solid stone, large and
quaint, with srched roof snd dome at one
end. In it are some remarkable paintings
Remarkably ugly, though Scriptural), and
queer ornaments that are not in the
least ornamental, rusty and musty with
the miidew of years, The altar and bap-
| tismal font however, are worthy of note,
! being of pure alabaster, in exceedingly
graceful design.
Approached from the sea, through a
narrow and somewhat dangerous channel,
La Paz-springing suddenly into view
looks so like the city Of dream that it is
hard to believe oneself awake. Its low
white walls (Which closer inspection shows
to be of much-plastered adobe), cleaning
like pureSt marble in eternal sunshine,
overshadowed by stately tamarind trees
and groups of towering palms, seem to rise
directly out of the ocean, and remind one
strongly of Oriental cities-the cities of
pictures. A few domes and spires add 10
the illusion, and the cool, calm water of
the foreground is dotted with myriads of
small white wings" belonging to the pearl
fishers.
The great gun fred on deck, that shook
the ship like an aspen in the wind, in
stantly collected a crowd on the wharf
for the arrival OF vessel in sleepy La Paz
is an event of Importance. Boats were put
out at once, the foremost group, each float
ing the Mexican flag, bringing the health
and customs officers, the Comandante and
( Ell Consul Americana. No trouble is ex-
perienced here by foreigners, whether they
/ be bent on business or pleasure, so long as
$ they show themselves disposed 10 do the
: fair thing; for La Paz bears the we'll
/ deserved reputation of containing the most
accommodating officials, the most hospita-
bic people and the prettiest ladies in all
/ Mexico.
/ If ever a name was exactly suited to g
town it is this of
! =" THE CITY OF PEACE"
/ Which seems to lie in an external dream
| Its population is something over 6,000
4 but-though the capital of an extensive
/ Territory of great Republic-it is liter
ally isolated from the outer world, having
neither railway, telegraph nor telephone
communications with any other point, and
! only to be reached by infrequently passing
vessels. Being the seat of Territorial
( government, it has by far the best society
/ of any city in Lower California, if not in
I western Mexico, and numbers among its
! citizens many families of wealth and high
position.
As we mounted the broad steps of the
stone-piled pier, after short row from
ship to shore, the cocoa palms were throw
/ ing long, fantastic efhgies of themselves
upon the slow-rippiing waters, and the
sun was disappearing behind the noun
tains which were fast fading from purple
to shadowy gray. The city was built upon
a slope, which gradually ascends from the
sea to the nearby heights-the latter ris-
ing range above range, higher and higher,
with now and then 2 solitary peak sharply
outlined against the cloudless skies of
i endless summer. From these hills the
most magnificent views may be obtained
of the Californian gulf and its countless
islands. The climate is unsurpassed, the
| Thermometer never rising above 80 degrees
and the nights being always cool.
There is an upper and lower town. The
tortuous streets, though narrow, are Won
derfully clean and well shaded BY orange,
palm and tamarind trees. The pavements
are Of the toughest, being merely piles of
stones to protect the houses from passing
| wheels, if there are any. Nobody walks
on them, however, but always in the clean,
ankle-deep, aea-infested sand that does not
soil your shoes like northern dust, nor
cling to your clothes like clay, but rolls off
easily as water from a ducks back. There
10 scarcely cart or carriage or any
other wheeled concern in the town, be-
cause there is no place to 90 where people
cannot walk or row, and if there were,
| ka--nL...l. -. ----ll