186 Cape Region of Baja California. [ZOE _ 
tent of country than that immediately at the Cape, in fact there is 
almost nothing, which is found solely at the Cape proper, which 
does not occur elsewhere in the cape region, excepting perhaps that 
bronze anchor which has so many traditions connected with it and — 
which has itself never been found, ‘‘ but that is another story.’’ 
There is no more sharply defined faunal and floral area, that oc- 
curs to me now, excepting that of islands, than is embraced in the | 
region above defined. Part of it lies within the Tropic of Cancer, 
and the balance along the Gulf shore and having mainly a Gulf 
drainage. The climate as influenced by its peculiar sea-bound 
tropical situation and rainy seasons is distinctively different from 
anything existing to the northward, but the climatic peculiarities - 
will be noticed beyond. Mainly a mountainous section, some of __ 
the peaks being 6,000 feet high, it is separated for an hundred miles 
or more from the peninsula northward by a long expanse of low, 
level or rolling country. Such isolation combined with other causes ~ 
makes it a region of peculiar scientific interest to both zoologist and 
botanists. 
It is more densely populated than any other part of the peninsula 
and more English speaking people are met with than elsewhere, | 
excepting the northern part where Americans have interests in 
mining and ranching. The trails are more traveled and distinct, 
water more abundant and of better quality. The food supply is 
more generous and fruit of some kind nearly always to be had. 
The beef of the cape region is mentioned but to be condemned, in 
two months residence there we did not have a piece of meat that was 
suitable for mastication, quite in contrast to the sweet, tender and 
juicy beef obtained farther north in the region at and around Co- 
mondu (lat. about 26° N.). The steamship people said that the 
only meat which they had received at La Paz was not fit to serve, 
being coarse, dry and tough. 
The country was early occupied by the Jesuit missionaries, and is 
still under the sway of the Catholic Church. The name, Los Mar- 
tires, is given to the place where two padres were massacred in early 
days by the Indian population. 
In the sultry afternoon of August 31, 1890, Mr. Brandegee and 
myself landed from the steamer “ Newbern,’’ after a six days’ voyage 
from San Francisco, upon a sandy beach known as La Palmia. Our 
objective point was about two leagues beyond at San José del Cabo. 
