Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1920-02-12
LOWER CALIFORNIA
Attenuation Of Droughts md I.nins
Has Produce Extrcordinsry
Desert Flora

OouRnt oy the OnlteQ states IrOm Men
leo prompted the National Geographic So
ciety 10 issue a bulletin concerning an
area which is described by one senatorial
advocate of such purchase as the verm-
form appendix of Mexico and The Achilles
heel of the United States"
at may be unknown to ma that the
United States or it's citizens have twice
had complete possession of lower Cali
fornia.' says the bulletin, which is based
on a communication to the society by l..
W. Nelson.
During the Mexican war;, in 1S47, the
forces of the United States occupied the
principal points in the peninsula and de-
clared it American territory, but relin-
ouished it at the close of hostilities. In
1S53-A 1t was again captured and a gov
rnmen temporarily organized by bands
Of American flibusters under Walker.
This ill-advised venture lacked support
and quickly came to a disastrous n
Lower California is the long narrow
peninsula that projects about 300 miles
southeasterly from the southern border of
California. Its width varies from about
30 to over 100 miles, and its irregular
coast-line, over 1000 miles long. is bor-
dered by numerous islands. Being mainly
a mountainous. desert region. it is thinly
pcOplSu anu pTtstHtS fnhly Shdi ply toli-
t~rasting conditions. Low. sun-scorched
plains, where death by thirst awaits the
unwsry traveller, lie close to the bases of
towering granite peaks. belted with wav-
ing pine forests and capped in winter by
cleaning snow.
Vast desolate plateaus OF ragged black
lava embosom gem-like valleys, vher
northumberland streams nd the spread
ing fronds of date palms -ecall the mys-
ferrous hidden wales Of the Arabian
Nights The western coast is bathed by
cool waters and abundant fogs. while the
eastern shore is laved by the waves Of a
warm inland sea. sparkling under almost
continuous sunshine.
Although adjoining some of our best.
known territory and with a recorded his
tory which goes back almost four GEN.
turtles and teens with varied events, the
peninsula still remains one of the least
known parts of North America The early
chronicles tell of its discovery in 1888 by
an expedition sent out by Cortes in search
of a f~abulously rich island said to have
been inhabited by Amazons.
TT has been estimated that at the time
Of its discovery the peninsula, including
many Of the bordering Islands. was peo-
pied by about 5000 Indians The inhao-
- 'ASiib'a NAiO ana oGici
of newcomers, and for more than a cer-
fury efforts 20 establish military colonies
In the new Ian resulted in disastrous
failures.
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 reasure-laden Spanish galleons on
their annual voyages from Manila to Mex.
leo,
afterwards, during the first t%wo-thlrds
OF the last century. those shores were
visited by numerous haIf-pirate snug
glers and by fleets of whalers and seal
ers. drawn there by the swarming abund.
anoe Of whale. fur seal, sea elephants,
and sea otter. So ruthless was the pur-
suit Of these animals that in a few decades
they were on the verge of determination,
Ind the business ended, apparently for
ever.
During the Last half century all parts
of the peninsula have been visited, main.
ly by Americans. in search of mines and
other natural RESOURCES, but little of the
knowledge thus gained has become avail
able to the public. Gold, silver. copper,
iron. and other minerals and much fertile
Ian have been found. but the scarcity of
water. fuel, forage, and the difficulties
of transportation have united with other
causes TO bring about many failures in the
attempts to develop these resources.
THE isolation OF the desert lowlands of
lower California. combined with alter
nations of long-continued droughts and
heavy rains. has resulted IN the develop
ment Of the richest and most extraor-
binary desert fora in the world.
One morning, in front of Magdalena
bay, / rode out from a dense growth of
bushes into an open area and pulled UP
my horse in amazement at sight of the
most extraordinary of them all. Before
me was a great bed of creeping devil
cactus. which appeared like u swarm of
gig&ntic caterpillars creeping IN all di-
rections. These plants actually travel
away from the common center of the
group, and I saw many single sections 20
to 80 yards away from the others. The
part of the stem resting on tho ground
sends down ~rootlets and the older stems
dire in the rear at about the same rate as
they grow in front, so they slowly move
eway from the colony across the flats
where they 1--we.
"A large number Of the smaller kinds of
desert mammals never drink water. They
live and thrive on dry seeds and scraps
Of vegetation in places where the heat
ana aridity are excessive without ever
touching their lips I water. and 1t has
even been found impossible to teach sops
of them to take water in captivity. APP
parently they never know thirst or the
delight of quenching It,"