The Beaver herald. [volume] (Beaver, O.T. [Okla.]) 1895-1923, 1917-02-15

some OF the Amerlcan-OWneu mlne
and plantation homes are models of
tropical comfort, spacious and elegant.
Motoring, tennis, golf, pleasure
launches and the west coasts incom-
parable hunting grounds are enjoyed
the year around.
For shooting and fishing, the Quay.
mas coast waters are unexcelled
Trolling for toro, skip-jacks, Spanish
mackerel, yellowtail, Cabrillo, and 9th
er fighting fish affords unparalleled
sport.
Ducks? By the thousand For the
west coast is right on one of the great
wild fowl migration routes. Last
March In the Yaqui valley, standing In
flooded rice field, got % 'red-
heads" in less than an hour, working
my 16-gauge as the evening flight came
in.
Here Is this worlds happy hunting
ground for those who love the rod and
gun. Some day-when its charms are
known to tourists-Guayma must be-
come famed winter resort, balmy,
healthful and healing, a garden spot of
soft breezes, blue seas and ideal jan
uary outdoor days.
At Aqua Fria Ranch, in Sonora, the
Americans keep professional lion
hunter, with pack of trained dogs.
Unless their prowling raids were re-
sisted, the lions and spotted tigers"
would soon overrun the ranches. Last
| ,In I,a Oh, t,,c
named killed over 30 wild beasts, in
Guiding lions, tigers and wild cats.
Singular Plant Life.
Even In vegetation this is n land OF
odd contrasts. Weird and sinister.
looking plants there are, like the
strange Creeping cactus" of the Mag.
dalena bay country. Lying fiat and
oddly resembling giant caterpillars,
this singular cactus grows forward and
dies behind, thus actually travelling in
the course of time considerable dis
tance. Mr.. Il. w. Nelson of the United
States department of agriculture said
after exploring the north section of
the west coast: Here is the most ex-
traordnary desert flora in the world.
The combinations of species were Won
derfully picturesque, giving the land
scape an individuality unlike anything
to be found elsewhere, Many of these
strange scenes seemed fit abiding
places for the animal life OF an earlier
age"
From such inhospitable wastes, the
descent into the green, fragrant, wa
tered coastal plain is n welcome
change. Here is cane, corn, rice, fruit,
wheat, beans, melons, garbanzos-the
food of millions.
Down this historic West coast from
st. Xavier and Tucumcari In Arizona
to Guadalajara, there stretches n
string of picturesque massive old
churches-churches built by adventur-
Gus Jesults, churches standing in loop
holed compounds for Indian defense.
Inside cisterns stored water for use
during sieges. The thrifty padres
grew their own grain, vegetables and
fruit, using Indian labor. Near some
of these ruined churches-built 300
years ago-traces of old irrigation
works are plainly discernlble. As late
as 1879, Apaches attacked the old
church of San IgnaciS in Sonora; its
SCARED walls still show plainly where
Indian bullets Clipped angrily at the
fervent defenders.
The women and girls of Mexico are
deeply religious. Five masses a day
are celebrated. in some of the larger
churches, and often the music is ex
cellent. One bright moonlight night
sat In the palm-shaded plaza before
the old cathedral of Magdalena; In
side woman soloist lifted n voice
strong, clear and wonderfully sweet
such n voice as must have given paus,
to even a Melba or Farrar, "undis
| rovaradn thouUh this Nvnmon xyaS