The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1889-09-08

iSeCl III BeOlOSlCdl - dT0 ny
no means beauties. Each has lizard-like
form and long tail, mouth like a trap
door. from which is usually protruding d
| thick, fieshy tongue, notched at the tip.
Along his back, and continued to the end
of the tail are rows of elevated, pointed
scales; under his chin is kgreat dewlap-
like pouch the prevailing color of his coat
being a greenish-yellow, mottled with
darker green, the tail ringed with brown
The feet are not webbed, but have long toes
with sharp claws, well adapted to climbing
trees; while the compressed tail is the
organ of progression used in swimming.
The average length of the iguana in this
part of the world is about four feet, but 1
have seen occasional specimens nearly
double that size. II is favorite article of
food, among all classes of MeXicans in
Lower California, and its eggs (Which are
about the size of those of a pigeon, and are
laid in the sand, with no hard SHELLY, are
also considered great delicacy. 1t is
generally caught by means of Il moose
thrown over its head.
DOGS ARE TRAINED To ASSIST
in its capture, and when pursued it takes
either to the trees or to the water, which
ever happens to be the handiest
Nearly opposite Guardian Angel island
towers the highest mountain in Lower
California, the Calamhue - sometimes
hHOMt IL DIS NlOuuG EOdlId catalina, lrOUl UuC
old mission of that name near its base Its
ragged top, snow-white by reason of the
rocks that crown it, attains an elevation of
more than ten thousand feet, and in clear
weather can be distinctly seen one hundred
miles away. Strange to say, however, it
was never laid down on any chart or map, un-
til the United States steamer, Narragansett,
published its survey in 1875. Father Kino,
writing in 1902, spoke of it discovered with
IDnIOptual SDOyV hint that mistake
the good friar being probably deceived by
its chalky appearance. In its vicinity is
said to be large mountain lake, which
feeds the various small streams flowing
toward the Pacific. The Cocopa Indians
who inhabit this region report the, existence
of much gold there; and they occasionally
come down to the mouth of the Colorado
river bringing nuggets of pure ore which
they trade off for guns, ammunition and fire
water But they are wise enough to per-
nit no white man TO enter that part of the
country, and thus far have succeeded in
keeping undisputed possession of their
treasures.
Near the upper end of the gulf, not far
from the Mexican mainland, is found that
much talked-of, but unknown island,
Tiburon, which is held by powerful band
of Indians Of the Serbs or Ceres tribe. The
mysterious, sea -girt domain lies due north
and south, and is about thirty miles long,
with width of fifteen miles,-a high and
rugged surface, covered with cones, peaks
and cliffs, rising from 1900 to 1000 feet.
A narrow, intricate channel, appropriately
called FL lnfernillo perilous at all times,
and frequently impossible, separates il
from the main land. Vessels sail shy of
this island, and give it as wide berth as
will permit, for the Tiburon
Indians, whose huts and encampments may
be seen in many places along the shores !
have the reputation of being
EXTREMELY HOSTILE TO STRANGERS,
and uncomfortably expert in the use of
poisoned arrows. These savages are said |
to differ entirely from any other Indians on {,
the islands or coasts or interior of Mexico |
The men are as gigantic in stature as the |
Patagonians, many of them being seven !
and even eight feet in height. They are |
believed to number not more than three !
hundred, and they speak language Of their |
own, having no intercourse whatever. |
either with the whites or other Indian |
tribes They are reputed cannibals, but |
that is probably untrue, though so fierce |
and cruel are they that the stranger !
would better leap into the sea than trust |
himself within their gates 1t is related, !
however, that some Greek sailors, wrecked |
hereabOuts a few years ago, ignOrantly |
sought shelter on the island of Tiburon, |
and could speak and understand the Ian |
guage of the Indians, which closely resem- |
bled their own. The theory is that, at some |
remote period, Greek castaways were |
stranded here, and in course of time took |
Indian wives. At any rate, all attempts to |
Chrlstianize or civiliZe them have signally |
failed, and they are monarchs of all they
survey. Their canoes are the most singular !
l have ever seen, being merely bundles of |
long reeds, bound together with withes |
after the manner OF fascines, three of |
which, when hitched point to point, have |
sufficient buoyancy to support one or two /
persons. In this canoe the Indian kneels |
when padding, the water being on the |
same level inside the boat as outside of it.
There is said to be gold mines of fabulous
richness on this mysterious island, and |
t lat pearl oyster beds surround it, but !
both reports need confirmation.
And now we come to the great Rio |
Colorado, which empties itself into the !
gulf at its extremely northern point-that
mighty stream which is navigable more !,
than six hundred miles above its mouth.
Its entrance is marked by mud fats, bare
at low-water springs, but which at high |
water have navigable channels between
them, the main channel lying close along |
theESonora shore. The influence of the tide |
is felt fully forty miles above salt water. |
There are no settlements at the mouth of |
the river, and none on either side OF the !
gulf north of Guaymas The principal eX-
ports from above are hemp, which grows |
wild
IN SURPRISING PROPULSION,
Copper and argentiferous lead ores. The
river navigation is entirely monopolized by
the Colorado Steam Navigation company,
which has three small steamers and three
barges, of from one hundred tons to seventy
tons burden. drawing about two feet of
water when loaded. Since the completion
OF the Southern Pacific railroad, some
years ago, which crosses the Colorado river
at Yuma, no vessels of account, either
foreign or Mexican, make voyages to the
mouth of the river. Merchandise and
army supplies for Arizona, which hereto
fore came around the peninsula from Up
per California and were landed at the
mouth of the Colorado, ard were carried
thence, by barges to Yuma city, are now
mostly brought direct to Yuma by rail;
while that portion of the consular district
bordering on the gulf north of Guaymas, is
supplied either at Guaymas, or at the inland
port of Nogales on the Arizona frontier.
FANNIE b. WARD.