Los Angeles herald., 1891-11-29
MEXICO.

MeSSTS. y. M. DIOWn anu JdCOD OIdW-
ford left them at San Felipe, on the gulf
shore. They remained here in camp
several days preparatory to visiting the
San Pedro Martir, the big range that
rises up above the surrounding noun
tains to height OF 10, 900 or II, 900 feet.
The highest point of land in Lower
California is Santa Rosa peak, on the
San Pedro range, and its blue outline
can be plainly seen in all directions for
many miles. Even in Alamo, or just on
the outskirts of it, old Santa Rosa looms
up away to the southeast in robe OF
purple, soothing to the eye and beautl-
full as a bit of the Alps. 1t can be seen
also from San Quintin, and when there
is no fog to obscure the vision Its huge
form greets the eyes of passengers on
the Pacheco as she steams along the
coast, or of those Oh the Pacific Mail
steamers far out at sea.
Brown and Crawford travelled seventy
nine miles from San Felipe to reach
Santa Rosa, and it was winter time
when they made the trip. They camped
among immense pine trees, where feed
IOT but UuIIOS was piCAblluis A'Piu
and tamarack timber was abundant, as
well as pine, and some of the trees that
the men measured showed circumfer-
ence of over twenty-four feet. Many
huge trees lay felled by lightning dur
ing the storms that often take place
here. One rain storm that occurred
lasted forty-eigbt hours, and it finally
loI ,,,<n blfr2inrr or tho
wind blowing SO hard that their tent
was carried away and the poles scat
tered.
Some OF the most beautiful scenery in
the world is to be viewed from the sum-
several men who have been on this
confirm the statement. The former has
been in Switzerland and in the Pyre-
nees, but declares that nowhere can
such sights be seen as from San Pedro's
top on a clear day. On most of the days
of the year no clouds or mist obscure
the atmosphere and an area of country
hundreds of miles in extent can be seen,
besides the entire width of the gulf and
wide sweep OF the ocean, with the
islands that dot the latter along the
COdSb. Liz WAOlc Suullulb VI lSdn
Pedro is but a series of the most
beautiful parks, fringed with pines OF
stately size, with numerous springs Of
good water and wealth of virgin soil,
deep and rich and covered with nutri-
tious grass. The parks are nearly all of
uniform size, containing several hundred
acres each, and are five or six miles dis
tant from each other. The intervening
spaces are thick with magnificent trees
sufficient in number to supply this coun-
try with lumber for years to come, but
no way exists by which the logs could
be got to the coast. The forbidding
heights OF San Pedro preclude any such
undertaking. There is an absence of
underbrush among the trees very graft
fying to tired travellers, and in whatever
direction one cares to go no work is nee
essary in making road.
Blacktail deer and mountain sheep are
numerous on the mountain, though the
latter are more generally encountered
near the southern end of it. There are
many tracks, too, of lions, but this wary
beast usually manages to keep out of
sight OF man. The deer are large and
fat, and so unused to the presence of
human beings that they exhibit very
little fear until closely approached. Upon
rising one morning and going out to look
after the burros, Brown saw three fine
deer grazing with them short distance
away. He succeeded in shooting all three
before they could escape. The men had
all the jerked venison they could eat
while on the summit, and when fresh
meat was desired it was easily obtained.
They made chase after a number OF
mountain sheep, but could not come
within easy range OF them, although
they afterwards managed to kill a
few to the south OF San Pedro.
Wild ducks and geese were numerous
on the streams in the parks.
When the men had been on the
mountain five weeks, camping in differ
ent places, snow storm set in which
lasted seven days and kept them in
camp the whole time. The snow was
over four feet deep when the storm
ceased, and the burros had to subsist
wholly upon green boughs cut from the
trees. When the prospectors concluded
TO leave the summit Brown started out
to find way down to the gulf. He
was looking along the eastern edge OF
the mountain and noticed that just
ahead of him the landscape seemed
to cease and there appeared to be
nothing but space. A few steps fur
ther, and he stopped in astonishment
and a shudder ran through his body.
He instantly stepped back few PAGES
and his mind began to realize what his
eyes beheld. Before him was the grand
est and most awful signt he had ever
seen-a sheer precipice falling several
thousand feet below him and showing
the mountains to the east of San Pedro,
themselves several thousand feet high,
to be nothing but ant-hills in compari-
son with the mighty hill upon which he
stood. Brown ran back after his part
ner and exclaimed that he would show
him a sight seldom seen by men, and
the two men went to the preci-
pice and feasted their eyes ON the glori-
ous sight below them. The side of the
was cut and disfgured by
the streams which rushed down from
The summit, and great trees which had
oeen hurled down with mighty force by
;he torrents were seen in the cai1ons far
below. Away to the east for twenty or
thirty miles, but seemingly short dis
;ance, the sands of the desert cleaned
md glistened in the sunlight, sending
pack the warmth of the sun in waves of
leat which were plainly visible to the
men upon San Pedro. Angel de la Guar
liza, the big island in the gulf, was in
,lain sight, and also the mouth of the |
Colorado river, far to the north across
vide stretches of desert. The mountains
IF Sonora, across the gulf, were plainly I