CAPE ST. LUCAS, SAN JOSE, LA PAZ.

285

land in the neighborhood is good and productive, but beyond a single rancho, there is no population whatever. In point of natural advantages the harbor is probably equal to any in the Pacific. It has become a place of resort, within a year past, for whalers; and a great many have visited it to take a whale called the California gray-a variety, I believe, new to whalemen. The whalers lay quietly at anchor, and the fish is caught in the bay itself.

Proceeding south, we come next to Todos los Santos. There was once a mission at this place, but there is no harbor, the few houses standing at the extremity of an indentation of the land. There is no further settlement until Cape St. Lucas, the southern extremity of the peninsula, is reached, the distance being about thirty miles farther south. The cape offers to the rolling swell of the Pacific towards the south, a lofty barrier of white and gray rocks, of volcanic origin, wrought into the most fantastic pinnacles and grotesque forms. Its extremity takes a sudden curve to the eastward, and incloses a small bay, within which there is good anchorage, well shut in from all winds except southers, which prevail in this region through the summer months.

Entering the Gulf, we come to San José, a small town, of about five hundred inhabitants, which is situated in a broad and fertile valley, with a stream of water running through it, about thirty miles from the cape, towards the northward and eastward. It has no harbor, but the road is safe, except during the souther season, and the landing on the open beach may generally be attempted.

Towards the north, (having now doubled the cape), we come first to the Ensiñada de la Palma, the first bight of the Gulf of California, and then to La Paz, which is the capital town of Lower California. It is a small place of not more than five or six hundred inhabitants, but the houses, built of adobe, with azoteas in the Mexican fashion, are good, and it is the only semblance of a town in the

286

1

PUERTO ESCONDIDO, ETC.

Province. Its spacious bay, and the island in front of it, make a fine harbor. The northern passage between the island and the main land is the broadest and best, and therefore the only one at present used by vessels of any size; but the other passage, although somewhat intricate, has plenty of water for any class of vessels. The small harbor of Pichelingue, which is a land-locked cove in the southern shore of the Bay of La Paz, offers a perfectly secure and calm place, with deep water, without rocks or other obstructions, for careenage, or refitting.

The next place of importance to the northward is Loreto, which is doubtless a magnificent harbor. Entering by a narrow passage, the bay expands into a fine amphitheatrical form, with bold shores, and without dangers, and it can be entered by night as well as by day, so well are its bold landmarks defined. There is beside a broad and deep estuary, called the "Puerto Escondido," making out from this bay, and winding for miles close under the lofty mountains near the coast, in which the navies of the world can be hidden completely from view from the gulf, or even from the outer harbor. There was anciently an important mission here, and also a royal arsenal; but both are now among the things that were.

The only remaining place of any importance on the California side is the small town of Mulegé, near the head of the gulf. It also has a tolerable harbor, and the country around it is moderately productive.

The head of the gulf, at and about the embouchure of the river Colorado, is without good harbors for affording protection from the southers, which blow hard in the summer months, and this section is infested with islands, reefs, &c., making its navigation somewhat difficult-the more so as no good survey exists of its shores.

There are some large islands, of which Tiburon Island is the most important. This island was inhabited by a numerous tribe of Indians until within a year or two, when

they were surprised by an expedition from Guayamas, under the command of General Urrea, which massacred in cold blood a large portion of the population, and after destroying their villages, carried off many captives.

So exasperated were these Indians at this most inhuman, unprovoked, and uncalled-for outrage, that they retired to the main land of the adjacent Mexican Province of Sonora, and infesting the roads between its sea-port, Guayamas, and the interior towns, instantly put to death every white person they encountered, without distinction of sex or age. They exhibited a remarkable degree of character for Indians; for not only did they not steal from the houses of the whites who fell into their power, but after murdering them, left all their money and effects untouched in the road. Nor did they molest the domesticated Indians of the country, who are numerous, and living on the territorial possessions of the Mexicans, are regarded and treated as their vassals.

The sea-port town of Guaymas is justly regarded as the principal commercial depot of the Gulf of California, and Province of Sonora. It is a well-built town, and contains a population of several thousands. There is considerable business done here, for it is the depot of the precious metals brought from the interior, and especially from the mines of Harispe and Chihuahua. It is said that a million and a half dollars' worth of the precious metals are sent to England from this port annually-smuggled of course. Guayamas takes also a considerable quantity of goods of English and American manufacture, as well as those of Mexico and South America. The harbor is an excellent one, perfectly easy of access, and securely land-locked, The depth of water is said to be decreasing.

In October, 1847, we bombarded this place with the frigate Congress and the sloop-of-war Portsmouth, and took military possession of it. The inhabitants retired to the small town of San José, about two leagues distant, but

there was no organized resistance to our occupation; and in fact, had invasion been our legitimate business, with the crews of our ships, numbering six hundred effective.men, we might have taken possession of the whole Province of Sonora, its capital, mines, and all the wealth of its inhabitants-such was the apathy or discontent of the whole population of that rich and important Province.

LeThe better part of the population is composed of Mexican-Spaniards, who own the larger part of the land, and hold to service the Indians living on it-the debased descendants of those warlike tribes which gave Ulloa and his companions some trouble, when the latter invaded their country. These Indians serve their feudal superiors in war against their local enemies. Two families of importance have for some time kept this Province in a turmoil with their feuds. The Guadaras and Iñigos are the Guelfs and Ghibellines of this part of Sonora. The end of all their wars and quarrels was to obtain possession of office, and the consequent spoils of the custom-house, and the imposts of the country. Their lands lie in the flat and alluvial valley of the Hiaqui river, and are thickly inhabited by the Indians of that name, who are "tall in stature, and vigorous of body," like their ancestors of Ulloa's time, and excellent hewers of wood and drawers of water, but not fit for fighting.

There is no other good harbor, or place of importance, on the coast of Mexico, except Culiacan, (a small place), until we arrive at Mazatlan, which, being in nearly the same latitude with Cape St. Lucas, brings us to the mouth of the gulf.

The waters of the Gulf of California abound with fish of many kinds, of which the "mero," a large sort of halibut, is the best, and grows to an enormous size, those caught near Cape St. Lucas, weighing often three hundred pounds. No devotee need starve in this quarter on Fridays. The gulf also contains vast quantities of oysters, not merely

your common oysters, which are found from Maine to Florida, but the real pearl oyster. The whole coast of California abounds, more or less, generally less, perhaps, in the pearl oyster. But the bay of La Paz produces pearls in considerable quantities, and of the very best quality.

Vast numbers of the same race as those wretched victims, which are helplessly turned upon their backs at the doors of the New York eating-houses, and exposed to the gaze of thoughtless and unpitying wayfarers, are found in the Gulf of California. But what is the sickly, tortured trash of those bolting machines, compared with the luscious calipash and calipee fresh from the briny sea? And mind you, green-turtle-soup is green-turtle-soup, in the Gulf of California, and nothing else. Whether there ever were such a thing as genuine turtle-soup served up at a restaurant, is a grave question to the conscience of the cook. I forbear to press it. But I must express the opinion, that a mixture composed of the gelatinous parts of young veal, mixed with a black sticky paste, and so seasoned as to taste of nothing but cheap port and pepper, goes down many an unscientific throat for the real " greenturtle”—the verdant quality being in fact outside of the bowl, and getting into it only by imputation. But at La Paz there is no deception, and the place is probably haunted by the ghosts of defunct aldermen.

Although the voyager, in sailing along the shores of the Gulf, when surveying their bold and lofty cliffs, seemingly covered with vegetation, alternating with broad and level plains and table-lands, and bounded by the verdant and towering back-bone range of the interior-the whole presenting an agreeable and varied scenery-may be led to believe the country fertile: a nearer approach will soon discover its barren character. The whole face of the country, except an occasional valley near the sea-coast, is a mass of friable whitish stone, and the surface of the earth is baked to the consistence of brick by a tropical sun,