El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1919-10-10
Little KnO1Cn
Of This Piece
OfCacti Land
Lower California Twice
Held by Americans as
u. S. Territory.

~ y CIiitOIy.
I Washington, D. C.. oct. l0-Recsnt
/ suggestions that Lower California be
bought by the United states from
I Mexico have prompted the National
I Geographic society 10 issue a bulletin
Z concerning an area which Is described
by one senatorial advocate OF such
purchase as the 'vermiform appendix
OF Mexico and the Achilles heel OF the
United States"
1T may be unknown 70 many that
{ the United States or its citizens have
twice had complete possession Of
/ Lower California" says the bulletin.
90 the society by r. W. Nelson.
During the Mexican war, in 1877.
the forces OF the United States occu-
pied the principal points IN the PENN
sula and declared Il American terri
tory, but relinquished Il at the close
fof hostilities- In 1885, IL. was again
captured and government tempo
I rarily organized by bands Of Amerl-
can fiiibusters under Walker. This
illadvtsed venture lacked support
and quickly came 20 a disastrous end.
What IL Is.
Lower California Is the long, mar
row peninsula that projects about 500
miles southeasterly from the south
ern border Of California It's width
varies from about 80 10 over 100
miles. and its irregular coast line,
over 1000 miles long, is bordered by
numerous Islands, Being mainly q
mountainous. desert region. Il Is thinly
peopled and presents many sharply
contrasting conditions. Low, sun I
scorched plains. where death by thirst 7
awaits the unwary traveller, lie close !
TO the bases OF towering granite 4
50. lie k.-HH So Hrra 60
ests and capped in winter by cleaning I
snow.
Vast desolate plateaus OF ragged 4
black lava embOsOm gemlike valleys, I
where verdure bordered streams and I
the spreading frouds Of date palms
recall the mysterious hidden wales
OF the Arabian Nights The vest
ern coast is bathed by cool waters
and abundant f0gs, while the eastern
shore is laved by the waves OF warm
inland sea. sparkling under almost
continuous sunshine.
Although adjoining some OF our
best known territory and with
recorded history which goes back al
most four centuries and teens with
varied events, the peninsula still re-
mains one Of the least known parts
OF North America The early chroni-
cles tell OF its discovery in 1883 by
an expedition sent out by Cortez IN
search Of a fabulously rich island said
TO have been inhabited by AmazouE
Indians Held j Long
1T has been estimated that at the
time Of its discovery the peninsula
islands, was peopled By about $4,000
Indians The Inhabitants vigorously
resented the intrusion Of newcomers,
and for more than a century efforts
to establish military colonies in the
new land resulted in disastrous fail
ures,
During one period in its history
the southern shores Of the peninsula
served as the lurking place OF sir
Francis Drake and other freebooters
lying in wait for the treasure laden
Spanish galleons on their annual voy-
ages from Manila 20 Mexico.
afterwards. during the first two .
thirds Of the last century, those shores
we're visited by numerous half pirate
imugglers and by fleets OF whalers
and sealers, drawn there by the
warming abundance OF whales. fur E
zeal sea elephants, and sea otter. So Z
ruthless was the pursuit OF these
inimals that In Few decades they s
we're on the verge OF EXTERN nation,
md the business ended, apparently
brewer.
During the last half century all
larts Of the peninsula have been vis- !
ted, mainly by Americans, in search
z mines and other natural resources =
.ut little Of the knowledge thus 4
aimed has become available TO The 1
.ublie. Gold. silver, copper. iron and
ther minerals and much fertile land
ave been found. but the scarcity CT
Tater. fuel. forage, and the Difficult
les OF transportation have united
With other causes TO bring about many
ailures in/the attempts TO develop
hese resources
The Isolation OF the desert low
U Ia o.. Haran
With alterations OF long continued
rouths and heavy rains, has resulted
D the development Of the richest and
1ost extraordinary desert fora IN
he world.
zone morning. in front Of 1lagJalena
ay. rode ont from p dense growth
bushes into an open area ana pulled
p my horse In amazement at sight
the most extraordinary Of them >
IL Before me was a great bed Of
Keeping devil cactus, which appeared
Ike a swarm Of gigantic caterpilars
Keeping IN all directions. These
lauts actually travel away from the
ommon center Of the group, and
3W many single sections 20 TO 80
ards away from the others The
art OF the stem resting on the
round sends down. rootlers and the
lder stems die in the rear al about
he same rate as they grow in front
b they slowly move away from the
olony across the flats where they
ve
"A large number OF the smaller
inds Of desert animals never drink
.ater. They live and thrive on dry
seds and scraps Of vegetation in
laces where the heat and aridity are
ccessive without ever touching their
ps TO water. and IL has even been
jund impossible TO teach some Of
lem to take water Ia captivity. Ap-
lrently they never know thirst OF
ie delight OF quenching a."
III register. Miss Greeley ls seen
b -zr--i-H-rrn-a- che -DTr eHn nv