The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1895-06-11

statea steamship The,is, ut Marc
Island, California. engaged in tho cous,
survey, to tho Hon. Augustus Pollack,
which will provo interesting to tho
readers OF tho ISrELLIGEScEs and tho
many friends Of tho lieutenant in this
city:
Complying with your request I will
try to give you some kind Of m idoa OF
tho work wc arc now engaged In. So
little authentic md reliable intorma.
ton concerning Lower California has
been printed, that We arc instructed to
givc all possible Information concern.
Ing the land we are passing over. Tho
S1uerally accepted theory is that the
whole peninsula is one vast sandy
desert, devoid OF water, md consequent.
ly OF human and domestic animal life,
hence our instructions cover mostly de-.
tails concerning these points-wutor,
springs, rivers, ponds and lakos, sup.
plies, how obtained and OF what uses 10
natives, products, etc, roads; and, In
short, everything tending to encourage
SNhhAAhk uloi ~ llithkNluluS " llNtll-
hood in those regions. There have
been various schOmes all tending to
colonization, tho most recent being
those OF a Mr.. Halo.
Halo, it seems, received from tho
Mexican government a grant oil land
extending along the entire coast on tho
Pacific s!do sone ton or fifteen miles
wide in consideration OF certain develop
ments and improvements. Ito died n
very wealthy man, his wealth having
been acquired in tho orchiila trade.
This orchllla is a species OF moss grow
ing upon scrubby trees not unlike such
rs is econ on our live oak trees in Bona
Ventura cemetery at Savannah, ia.
It was used, formerly, in dycing fine
silks and seal akins. Tho aualyne dyes
from the refuse OF coal tar ruined tho
business, aud it has now been all but
abandoned.
The details OF the country could DO
made scarcely Interesting TO you with.
ont charts such q. we make, hence !
will attempt TO give YOU only Il general
representation OF the whole, trusting
that it may prove oil interest and accom-.
plish both my deIltes and your wishes.
The country in general is split up
into arroyas or valleys. That part noar-
est the sea consists OF Lowell and undu.
latiug plains. occasionally i]n;crspersei
with low sand hills and table lands,
ranging from 800 10 500 feet high. The
land gradually rises toward. tho into
rior until there Is | sudden rise OF sev-
cral hundred feet to the tops OF white
table lands that run oil like spurs be-
tween the arroyas (yallcys).
These table lands become broader and
broader. higher and higher, until they
are gradually merged into tho high table
lands dotted with mountain peaks, and
separated from each other Dy the deep
and narrow canons into which the ar.
royas arc constructed as tho table lands
expand.
As ono goes from the sea to the in
terror he not only finds a change in tho
topography, but in the soil as well.
From the deep, fertile, sandy loan soil
OF the plains. be climbs TO tho top OF tho
low white and red mesas. and passes
over = hard, rocky and shallow soil,
with here and the.ca few rod cinder
rocks. As he pursucs his course still
further, the Cindor rocks become m ore
numerous, the country moro rugged,
and instead OF being on what q. first
appeared to him as n smooth and u /
ly rising plateau, he finds himself IN n
sea OF lava beds. wandering at rand ON,
moi being able to 500 hi' way more than
.,a,,. ,..l, .n,l fIln,n. Lace, hal,
composed OF rcd cinder rocks cover the
major portion OF the table lands
aud some OF tho mountain peaks.
They compose the spurs and red bluffs.
30 sharply defined. These rocks are OF
a reddish brown color, light in weight,
have q metallic ring and are porous, in
appearance similar to punico stone.
Upon the plains there is n donse
growth OF cactus in many Varieties.
height OF thirty feet, and Is two feet in
diameter. The fruit from the Choa.
Pitahalla, NisnaSa and other varieties.
in tho summer season, serve for food.
1t is commonly called tho prickly pear.
has n crimson color when ripe, and is
covered with sharp needles easily re-
moved nj that state. Tho cactus is also
found in abundance OH the table lands.
mountains and "a the valleys. Orchilla
grows everywhere being n parasite
Another dyc.stuil, called "Torati,' is
also found in abundance. "llirlsachi'
grows in bush size in tho ARROWS only,
has sphericalIy shaped yellow ilowCrs
and berries which. when boiled in
waicr, gives IN indeliblo black ink.
CopaI, n gum tree, growing In tho rocky
sol! OF tho mosas and mountains, Is said
to possess wonderful healing properties
for cuts, bruises, wounds, etc.
Tho moscal plant grows everywhere
and resembles very much the century
plant. The pulp taken from the bead
after maturing. when roasted in the iire.
has a sweet md somewhat pungent
,as,e and Is nm article OF food. Tho dis
tillation Of tho pulp produces the mcScdI
or Mexican brandy, n drink OF which
will pnralyzc anybody but n Mexican.
GoIlingrina, n small vino with pink
and white flowers. grows on tho plains.
table lands and mountains, but more
abundautly in tho valleys OF tho ar.
oyas Thia is an an,ido,o for tho poison
Of the r%a,tlosnake. A dcCoction Of COL.
lincrina takun internally and n pouIticc
of it applied to tho wound made by the
bite of n ra,,lesnnko Is said to be- II sure
euro, il taken within two hours oil being
bitten.
Tho Pitnhalla cactus Of tho sweet vn'
riety is also u5od to euro rh~ttlcsnHkC
hi,c,. A niece il put into tho fire and