utterly impracticable. The information which I had received at San Francisco led me to believe that the country was a verdant plain, abounding in fine pastures and running streams. I was grievously disappointed.

craziness and death. Add to this the innumerable varieties of virulent reptiles and insects that infest these desolate regions in summer; the rattlesnakes, vipers, scorpions, tarantulas, centipedes, and sand-flies; the rabid polecats My guides had no knowledge of any fresh that creep around the camp-fire at night, prowater except on the trail to Commondu, which ducing hydrophobia by their bite; the scorchmakes a detour through the interior, at a con- ing heat of the sun, and the utter absence siderable distance from the coast. This trail of water, and you have a combination of horpasses over a desert region, prolific only in cac- rors that might well justify the belief of the tus and thorny shrubs. Blind trails, made by old Spaniards that the country was accursed wild animals, branch off from it in every direc- of God. Deserters from whale-ships, in attion; and it is exceedingly difficult even for an tempting to make their way to Commondu, experienced guide to avoid losing the way, ow-have, in several well-authenticated instances, ing to the shifting sands and barren tracts of gravel and cobble-stones which at intervals obliterate all traces of the route. The whole face of the earth for a hundred miles or more, north and south, and eastward across the Peninsula, is a complication of rugged mountains of a sedimentary formation, and mesas cut into fearful arroyas and ravines by the floods of former times, and stretches of naked sand-desert. All the vegetation visible to the eye seems to conspire against the intrusion of man. Every shrub is armed with thorns; the cactus, in all its varieties, solitary and erect, or in twisted masses, or snake-like undulations, tortures the traveler with piercing needles and remorseless fangs. Burs with barbed thorns cover the ground; the very grass, wherever it grows, resents the touch with wasp-like stings that fester in the flesh; and poisonous weeds tempt the hungry animals with their verdure, producing

perished from thirst. A species of cactus grows in these arid wastes which, it is said, contains juice enough to support life; but the weary and bewildered traveler is not always in a condition to seek this source of relief. Men who lose the trail are apt to become crazed with the horrors of a situation from which they can see no escape.

It was not my object to find a country more barren than that over which we had passed on the route from Todos Santos, but rather to discover whether any of the lands accessible to navigation afforded inducements for the establishment of a colony.

The last watering-place on the trail from the Rancho Colorado is situated in an arroya, about seven miles distant from the bay, and is called the Salado. As a specimen of the loose statements made by interested parties in regard to the resources of this country, we were told be

Salado. Soon after leaving the arroya we struck into a sand-desert, covered with a tangled growth of cactus, through which it is difficult to travel without being pierced with thorns. The hummocks of sand near the beach mark the proximity of the bay. Some miles before we reached these prominent beach-marks we descried the tapering spars of two whale-ships that lay at anchor about three miles from the shore. Sand-bars extend out for over a mile, and there is no good anchorage nearer.

fore leaving La Paz that we would find quite a | posite the northern end of the Island of Marsettlement here, consisting of a good ranch guerita, on the morning after our arrival at the with abundance of cattle, a store-house well supplied with all the necessaries of life, and many other conveniences which would greatly facilitate us in our exploration. The truth is, we found nothing but a wretched little cabin built of mud and brush-wood, inhabited by a half-breed native and his family, who if they had been more destitute of the means of subsistence would have had nothing at all. This miserable hacqual was perched on the edge of the barren mesa overlooking the arroya, and presented a most unpromising appearance to a party who wished to procure supplies of any kind. The ranchero had a few cattle, but no fresh meat. We got some jerked beef, however, which, with a little cheese, was all the place afforded. They had neither flour nor panoche, and scarcely knew the luxuries of tea and cof-ly reclining under the bushes, as if time and fee. A small supply of these rare commodities was very gratefully received by the good woman who did the honors of the place.

We camped under a cotton-wood tree on the opposite side of the arroya, and turned our animals loose to pick up what the country afforded. Mesquit and bunch-grass are tolerably abundant in the vicinity; but the water is brackish and unpleasant to the taste. By letting it stand all night in an oja or earthen jar we found it much improved. My impression is, that the water generally in the sandy regions of Lower California, though abounding in saline matter, is not unwholesome. At least it did not disagree with any of our party.

The pack animals were somewhat jaded after the journey of the last ten days, and needed rest and food. With the utmost care in packing, such was the roughness of the road, their backs were badly galled-a trouble, however, that did not give our vaqueros much concern. Packers are proverbially cruel in all Mexican countries, and ours were not an exception.

Accompanied by the principal members of the party, I rode down to the beach nearly op

We found nothing on the shore save an old leathern vat for straining oil, and the carcass of a whale, over which myriads of buzzards were hovering. The air was heavily laden with the stench. Two or three half-breeds, who contrive to live in some mysterious way, were lazi

business were matters of no concern to them.

There was no water to be had nearer than the Salado, except on board the whale-ships. We had failed to provide ourselves with a sufficient supply, thinking we would have no difficulty in procuring some here; but were chagrined to find that there was not a drop to be had without begging it from these poor fellows, who, however, generously shared with us the contents of their botas or leathern bottles.

The first sight of the bay was very impress

ive. Such a magnificent sheet of water is seldom to be seen. The distant shores were scarcely visible, looking almost like low clouds on the horizon. The waters of the bay were beautifully blue and clear, and nothing could exceed the purity and softness of the atmosphere.

Our men, some of whom were practiced in the business of shell-fishing, went to work on the beach, and very soon dug up a very fine feast of clams. Cart-loads of them can be had in a few hours. While some of the members of the party were amusing themselves in this way, others of us ascended one of the sand-hills and hoisted signals on some poles which we

turer D'Artois had reached them from Cape St. Lucas, and they had a suspicion that a raid upon their ships was intended, though they could not conceive any rational ground for such conduct against the property of a nation friendly to the Liberal cause. Finding we were not the D'Artois party, they were equally disturbed by a suspicion that we had come over from La Paz with a commission from Governor Pedrin to levy a contribution upon them for fishing in the waters of the bay, it being understood that a privilege of that sort had been given to a prominent citizen of La Paz. Naturally enough they were greatly rejoiced when they found that we had no designs upon them further than to ask their assistance in making a reconnoissance of the Bay.

I had hoped to be able to purchase a whaleboat here and fit it out with a crew of natives; but such a thing was quite impracticable. One or two crazy little yawls, cast off by some whaleship, comprised all we could get any tidings of, and they were said to be forty or fifty miles up the bay. At all events we could see nothing of them.

people should be so deceived. He regretted that the whaling season up to this date had proved so unpropitious as to make it difficult for him to spare a boat or crew; but he would do all in his power to facilitate our exploration, which he thought would be a good thing for the public, as it would furnish reliable information respecting the resources of the country. It was too late that afternoon to make any definite arrangements for a boat and crew, so I made an appointment to meet Captains Hathaway and Davis at the beach next morning.

As it was highly important that Mr. Gabb should not be delayed in his inland reconnoissance beyond the time necessary to recruit the animals, I so arranged it that our party should divide at the Salado. Mr. Gabb, Dr. Löhr, Cornelius Ironmonger, the cook and snakecharmer, Jesus Carillo the guide, and Manuel the vaquero were to remain in camp until Monday-this being Saturday. They were provided with five saddle-mules, four pack-mules, and a horse. I was very sorry that I had been disappointed in procuring a larger number of animals; but the truth is, we had been deceived Captain Hathaway, who commanded one of at every point. Mr. Gabb and his party, havthe whaling vessels, had visited the Bay of Mag-ing taken a look at the Bay, remained in camp dalena during twelve successive seasons, and was thoroughly acquainted with every lagoon and inlet, as well as with the shores all around as far as ship or boat navigation extended. From him I received a most discouraging account of the prospect. He said he had read newspaper accounts of the project of colonizing this country, and expressed great surprise that

to complete their preparations for the inland journey, which I confess was sufficiently formidable to occasion me much solicitude. I had great confidence, however, in the energy and endurance of every member of the party.

One of the most important objects of the reconnoissance was to ascertain with as much particularity as possible the feasibility of establish

ing a colony on the shores of Magdalena Bay. | length of time. He had taken thirty barrels of I therefore deemed it the best disposition of the limited means at my command to take charge of this duty myself, as it involved no special scientific knowledge.