New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1890-08-02
~ BAJA CALIFORNIA -
UNCONSCIOUS OF ITS MARROW ESCAPE
FROM REVOLUTION
OF THE PEOPLE, AND OF THU
OTHER NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.
OF THE GIANT CEREUS.

IRON AN OCCASIONAL CORRESPONDENT or THE TRrBrSn~
La Paz July I0.The recent talk abort ilibusterins,
invasion, revolution and annexation that made such
prodigous p0ther in California and throughout the
United states and Mexico was scarcely heard at All
here in the country most concerned and the little that
WAS heard is now ended and forgotten. Now and then
one sees in a United states paper something about 1t.
some accomplished romancer at san Dieso or Los
Angeles makes space with brand new version OF TIC
con spracy or some Supcrardcn patriot tries anew TO
ftSten upon England iniamy OF trying 10 grab The
peninsula from Mexico BIT few Baia Cilifornans ever
United States papers and fewer sill can read them.
these fcrvid sensations wasted upon the desert
air. II the peninsula did near Ia being sobbled
up by John Bull by Jonathan, no one here e" IL.
And to-day the current Of sleepy semi tropical lie
drones placidy As ever inst as though nero
lad been such thing deep, dark and dannlns
conspiracy of masked revOluonsts in some scores
chamber OF San Diego. More than that. If such q
scheme carried ou:. ii would be years before the
natives would appreciate the fact that they were living
under a dag; and when they did, il would make
no difference to them. They would simply light
new cigarettes and begin another game with the same
old pack Of cards.
Not that the Bala Callfomans are stupid race On
the contrary, they are unc0mmonly intelligent and
quick wittcd even for mixed race Neither are
they lazy. But they carry To its EXTREMIST limit tho
philosophy of letting to take Of to NOR
row. Improyidcncc Is their falling They will work
cncrgccaly for present gain, but any such thing rs
laying up for the future is beyond their ken. They
great lovers of money but they do not accumulate
fortunes, for they spend quickly they make. Ac-
corIngly they are much addicted to gambling, but 0f
that higher and more scientific form OF gambling known
as speculation they have 10 idea. have spoken Of
them as mixed race They are. Now and then one
with family of pure spanish blood. Kept ntact
from the days Of the Conquistadorcs. But these
rare And scarcely less the purc-bi0Oded
Indians. Between these extremes. however, every
imaginable gradaon is to be met with. And Just as
their compilations are shaded from olive to mahogany.
their dispositions range through the whole gamut The
vices Of both parent stocks they have preserved Many
Of the virtues have allowed perish for lack OF
exercise. Perhaps the deporable trait is that Of
imitation, which these mixed people possess in far
higher degree than any of pure blood. Every foreign
habit i copied from the visitors who come hither and
every foreign fashion. The native women who used to
walk barefooted with magnificent stride that AtaahI@
might have cnvied, now mincc along In hgh-heeiea
and box toed shoes They affect aesthetic gowns, ar
range their hair In Psyche Knots. and shade ther
bronze olive faces beneath lace trimmed canopy
sha ped paraSOls The effect has been TO destroy ut
crly the natural and picturesque beauty they
possessed. and to render them srotesque Ike
naked Tahitian wearing "a silk hat. The men are
equally great sinners in the direction and ono
may occasionally a fine young fellow with en-
broidcre jacket fringed trousers and vast sombrro
c7.tmplng his feet in russell leather shoes and vainIy
striving to hold a mOnocc in his long suffering eye
As rule they have the virtue Of temperance in eat
Ing drinking. IL is seldom that one secs drunken
| man. Indeed. little if any strong drink is MANU-
actlrcd the peninsula, and the mescal or aSaVs
| ,vhisiey that i, brought from Mexico is used
| ,paringy. II playing the guitar h. vice. they are
indeed vc0us. No spanish students seTenadinS their
Ducineas ever twaugcd the strings OF that romantic
apology for Il banjo with greater as,iduity. The shop
keeper lies the counter. smokes cigarettes ana
tWangs his guitar from morning 10 night and yoa
| must wait until he has twanged his tune through
| before he will arise and wait upon you. The morals
| OF the people are easy. but not bad a. rule they
are honest, truthful and hOspltable Religion they
have practically Theoretically they are Roman
Catholics Of course. But churches and priests ara
few and far between. There towns Of a thousand
| or two inhabitants where place OF worship exists
| ind where IA priest + Baptism
| IS neglected Marriages performed. when per-
formed at all by the justice Of the peace Funerals
are conducted by the family and friends OF the DO
ceased according TO their own notions. The enblems
Of mourning familiar in the United Stptes are not
| known here. II a coffin IS nscd 1t IS painted In gay
color, and adorned with ribbons and flowers. Often.
| however. the corpse is merely swathed in bright
| cOloIed blanket. and Thus carried 10 the place u
burial The grlvedgger leads the procession carrying
! IN spade with crucif0rm handle, often hung
with wreaths Of flowers. But the most curious
custom Of all IS the discharge OF crackers OF which
continuous fusilade is kept up from the house "
| the grave.
| The nonhuman Inhabitants Of the peninsula ara
| not particularly numerous. There very few
pumas; rather shy and cowardly brlItes Far Inferior
to the mountain lion of Alta California There
few bears and very few deer. The monkey tribe Is
unknown. Foxes coyotes and small wildcats abound,
us do sklInhS. rabbits and squirrels. The birds arc
| not MS numerous nor a. splendid aS In Mexico aud
! Central America. There parrots and few hum
ming birds: Bur the glorono ncckns bird and t,s
cardinal bird are plentiful, and there innumcrabls
doves AID pigeons including one exquisite ltle species
about the .lhe OF a sparrow. There are also many
abound, a. do. 81 course MANY varieties Of lizards,
Including huge islanas Aud tlhs IS a yeritable
home OF the mosquito before whose Iayenous winged
! egons even me NeW-Jereey meadows fade ilio ~
,'u 20 are "'sp,, ana 10 Keep mem "u; 81 yolf
house Is more difficult than 70 square the Circle AS
lighted they come upon 1t like ocusts upon me land *
Egypt. spiders also are nnumerable. including thar
mcnts is also found here, creature that looks lhe
blade Of griS; walking on sA hairs and that every
| the most quaFIeSome and belligelent Insect In Tho
"S c es"ea Sc HG 9 hs p eIf a its natural
wealth is almost entirely mineral. There j. NJ doubt
Vegetable s poSes 'g are not ' to very by depd b Moa
cinal plants s1ch the damiara, the orcua and
as are pIcnfI Bat the nstye pant
t thc pitaya, Or ceIens eSanteuS also called the ice
| the landscape a unique appearance. IN form re-
scInhlcS vast candeabrm. with short masSv. per-
pcndicnlar trunk, short arms extending at right angles
and then huge branche. running straight up twenty
or thirty fee, into the air all as straight and clean as
50 many marble columns. There seVera species
Of it. bat all weld abundanty an edible fruit.
thing like DC prclv pear. ONLY much larger and richer
favored. Tiry only need diving to turn into superb
Jam marmalade. equal n the best manufactured
from goOScbcrre> Strawberries one variety when
eaten fresh resembles Strawberries thar it -
more aromatic. There Is reason t. believe that
ensive and profitable business could be done In cult
waiting AID marketing this fruit which plestiful
that cvery year for several weeks considerable pro.
portion 0 the population make il their sole article ~
| diet Thcy leave their homes aud 20 ont into tho
forest, Of giant cactus and I've. picking their mcs
from the trees. other frIit flourish wonderfully h're,
especially grapes. pumceranates and all the citrus
! tribe. Figs. pcachce binanes AID elWvas -Tow 70
perfection. rapid i the growth Of the grape thai
| a slip stuck into the ground in February bcconcs
| Tearing zinc IN september.