Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1914-05-20
LOWER CALIFORNIA BUT
SPARSELY POPULATED
Climate Is Generally Hot and Arid,
and Some Droughts Last
Five Years. ..
Scarcity of Water, Fuel and Forage
and Transportation Difficulties
Hamper Development.

Lower California. Mexico's isolated pen
insula. the coast of which the Pacific
feet OF the United States is now patrol
ling. is one Of the least known territories
in North America The following facts
concerning this arm of land which pro-
iects about 500 miles southeastern from
the southern border of California were
given out by the National Geographic
Society here today:
The width of the peninsula varies from
about thirty to more than 100 miles, and
its irregular coastline more than 1000
miles long, is bordered by numerous is
lands Being mainly mountainous.
desert region. it is thinly peopled and
presents many sharply contrasting con-
dftions. Low sun-scorched plains, where
death by thirst awaits the traveller. lie
close to the bases of towering granite
peaks belted by forests and capped in
winter by snow: deSolate plateaus of
black lava look dows on valleys scanned
with green-bordered streams
At the time OF it's discovery. in 1888, by
an expedition sent out by Cortes in
search OF a fabulously rich island il is
estimated to have been inha bited by
c5.HO Indians. who vigorously resented
the intrusion and prevented the new
corners from getting a foothod for more
than century. The Jesuits then came
in and were Wonderfully successful in
exploring the peninsula and establishing
missions. They esta blished three main
trails, enc along each coast and the
third down the middle. which serve as
the regular routes of travel today. The
Indians have vanished from all parts of
their former territory, except a few in
the extreme northern end.
During the last half century all parts
Of the territory have been visited, mainly
by Americans. in search of mines and
other natural resources, but little of the
knowledge gained has become available
TO the public. Gold, silver. copper. iron
and other minerals and much fertile
land have been found but the scarcity
OF water, fuel. forage and the difficulties
Of transportation have united with other
causes to bring about failure to de-
velop the resources
Climate Is Hot and Arid.
The climate of Lower California in
general is hot and arid. Northern con-
ditions are closely like those in adjoin-
ing parts of southern California: in the
middle they more arid but the ex-
IRENE southern end. though arid has
more regular summer rams. The PENN
sula suffers long periods OF drought, dur
ing which no rainfall sufficien: to start
vegetation occurs over large areas for
peyiods of from three to five years.
"SSS uiS Pei iouS may De Sutceeutu pS
torrential rains. which sweep the country
and roll great floods down to the sea
Surface water is scarce and limited
mainly TO isolated water holes in the
rocks or to springs from which small
streams flow short distance. The Rio
Santo Domingo is the one living stream
within the peninsula which flows on the
surface from its source TO the sea
throughout the year.
These conditions have resulted in the
development of the richest and most ex-
raordinary desert flora in the world.
The bird and mammal life. however. is
closely related to that of southern Cali
fornia. The plains abound with small
desert mammals. such as rabbits, pocket
mice. kangaroo rats and others. A large
number Of the smaller desert mammals
never drink water, it having been found
impossible to teach some of them to
take water. Antelope, mountain sheep
mule deer and mountain lions are the
only large game animals.
The peninsula is thiniy peopled and
enormous areas remain uninhabited The
most populous section is the region south
OF La Paz, where rains are more regular
than further north. 4 few small towns
and widely scattered communities along
the coast, with limited number of vii
ages.-Tanches and miners camps in the
interior. cover the population. Lower
California has territorial form of gov
ernrnent and, owing to its great length,
~ divided near the middle into a north
ern and a southern district Ensenada
and La Paz being the respective capitals