CA1.KSHKKO 



. A I 1KOKNIA, GULF OF. 



mO per ton for the wbol. pelage, the rate for tone* being similar. 

 Th. charge on rtun-TJ. passing wholly through the n*l i. i,. 

 nermrufr too, whether Uan or unladen, la 1848 the commis- 

 *** with the view of Inducing a gnats* number of the Halt ic 



of inducing a gr*aar 



. 



tenders to UM UM pisssge *>T canal, reduced the daw on trading 

 .ailing TMM|* rxoeading 185 ton* register to U per register < 

 UM through passage ; and to encourage the trmfflc connected with i h>- 

 absries, UM towan rotes on vissili Udeo with herring, or ! 

 reduced by nn half. The opening of the Caledonian Canal ha. given 

 ri*e to an increased intercourse and traffic between Inverness and 

 Glasgow, and generally between the northern and western district, of 

 Scotland. Much damage was sustained by the works of the canal in 

 FV mn l.^ ]g|s, and January 1840 by a severe atorm and heavy rains. 

 The damage was repaired with great skill and promptitude, au<l at 

 Mat ooet than was anticipated, under the direction of Mr. Walker, 

 MMultlng engineer to the commissioners, and Mr. George Mi. 

 residentengineer. To cowr the expense, Parliament granted 10.00W. 

 to the commiiwionen in 1849. 



(tfr* OtotMcml AeeotuU */ SetOmd ; Porlffowtk Xtport of <*< 

 OtmmiMiomtr, for Mating and Mmotainiog Ikt CaMoin Canal ; 

 Lift of jy/bcJ,toi ey Kickman.) 



i.KSHKKO. (HAStova-H.1 



CALICUT, a Ma-port town in the province of Malabar, in 1 1 

 N. lat, and 75 50' B. long. Calicut wan the first Indian port visited 

 by Vaeo de Oama in 1498. The name of the place in properly 

 Colicwiv. Previous to the Mussulman invasion it was the i-lii, f 

 residence of the Tamuri rajas, and was a very flourishing city, owing 

 to the success that iU lords had in war, and the encouragement they 

 afforded to commercial pursuits. In 1766, the town wan taken by 

 Hyder Ali, when he enlarged the fort. His son Tippoo afterwards 

 destroyed both the fort and the town, and removed the inhabitants 

 to Kelluru, the name of which place he changed to Fumickabod. 

 When the province of Malabar was conquered by the English, in 

 1T90, the former inhabitants of Calicut returned to their old abode. 

 Before iU destruction by Tippoo the town contained between 6000 

 and 7000 houses. In 1800 Calicut again contained more than 5000 

 houses. The inhabitants are mostly Moplays, who are of Arab descent 

 and profess Mohammedanism. The manufacture of cotton goods 

 was formerly carried on here to a great extent and furnished a con 

 siderable supply of those goods to Europe ; but at the present time 

 the greater part of the clothing used in the country is imported. The 

 exports now consist principally of cocoa-nuts, betel-nuto, pepper, 

 infer, turmeric, teak-wood, sandal-wood, cardamoms, and wax. 



(Rennell, Memoir of a flap of 7/.W*an ; Mill, HUory of BrUiik 

 India Dr. Hamilton (Buchanan), Journey Ikrouyk ifytort, < 

 and Malabar.) 



CALIFORNIA. The country formerly known as California extended 

 long the shores of the Pacific Ocean from 22 45' N. lat to 42 N. Int. 

 It consisted of two parts, Upper or New California and Lower or Old 

 California, and formed the north-western portion of the territory ol 

 the republic of Mexico. By the treaty of February 1848, Upper 

 California, the northern and larger part of this territory, was ceded 

 to the United States of Notth America, and now forms the State ol 

 CALIFORNIA, the Territory of UTAH, nd, in part, the Territory of 

 Nrw Mrxiro, under wnm titles it will be found described. Lower 

 California Mill belong* to the republic of Mexico, and will be most 

 conveniently noticed here. 



Lo" 'i if) a peninsula divided from the mainland by the 



Gulf uf California, and extends from Cape Ban Lucas, 22 45' N. lat., 

 to the northern extremity of the gulf, 32 N. lat, where it is bounded 

 by the State of California. Its area U upwards of 60,000 square miles : 

 the population, which consists principally of Indians, is probably much 

 under 10,000. This tract of country may be considered as a con- 

 tinuous mass of high, bare, and steep rocks, with numerous ravines 

 intersecting them. With the exception of two or three places, it 

 hardly contains any level ground that can be called a valley. Nearly 

 all the places which contain a small tract of cultivable ground are 

 on the eastern declivity of the mountains ; the western side generally 

 inks with a rapid descent to the Pacific ; the shores are consequently 

 stesp and rocky. Towards the northern extremity of the gulf, from 

 bout 80 N. lat, the mountains recede to a considerable distance 

 from the shore, and leave a Urge tract of flat country betwe> 

 and the sea ; but this surface, being composed of fine son 

 startle. 



The bareoMs of the rocks U chiefly owing to the climate, wh 

 exceedingly dry and hot. Only the southern portion lutx the annual 

 rain*, which Ust for six weeks or two months, in September nnd October. 

 At Loreto it only rain* at interval* of from fire to six years, when 

 the rains descend In great abundance, but do not last for a long time. 

 Farther north, as far as is known, it never rains. The heat is rxces- 

 ve. The thermometer rises to 100 Fahr., and even higher. Lower 

 California may consequently bs considered one of the hottest countries 

 of America. Earthquakes are not known, but there is a volcano near 

 28' N. Ut, in a group of mountains called Castrm Virgines. 



The isgeUrlon U very scanty, occurring only in sheltered valleys 

 which ire listed by the mountain streams. The number of trees is 

 small, but soro* of them are valuable, each as the mosquito tree, on 

 whose leaves cattle bed when there is no grass, which happens very 



frequently. The bark of some of the trees is used for tanning ; and 

 others produce edible fruits, which grow very well in the hot and 

 dry valleys, especially figs, quinces, olives, dates, and grapes, which 

 have been introduced by the Spaniards. A good sort of wine is made. 

 In a few places maize, mandioc, and some other plants are cultivated ; 

 produce is not sufficient for the consuuiiiti.m nf the scanty 

 |>opulsUon, and therefore maize and wheat are brought from the 

 mainland and exchanged for fruit, spirits, soap, salt, pearls, and 

 tortoise-shells. 



Cattle, horses, and mules are rather numerous in proportion 

 population. Hogs are (till more numerous. Among the wild an 

 are wolves, foxes, deer, and different kinds of goats, of whirl, 

 called berenda, is distinguished by enormous horns. Ground-squirrel*, 

 rattle-snakes, lizards, and scorpions abound. 



The mineral riches are supposed to be considerable, but they have 

 been little worked. Gold is extracted near La Paz, but the m- 

 not abundant It is supposed that the western declivity ol 

 mountains contains a considerable quantity of minerals, but if : 

 the case they will probably not be worked, as this part of !.- 

 peninsula is quite uninhabitable. Lead is said to have been found 

 towards the southern extremity of the peninsula. The pearl-fishery 

 was formerly prosecuted along the Gulf of California south of 88' 30' 

 N. lat. with considerable success ; but the pearl-beds appear t < 

 Uvn for some time unprodu, t 



Though Lower California was discovered by Hernando d 

 in 1534 no settlement was formed by the Spaniards before 1698. 

 the Jesuits established themselves here, and began to collect the wan- 

 dering Indians into their missions, and to convert them. But the 

 population was scanty, and no it is still. All the Jesuit stations have 

 been abandoned. The Indians belong to several tribes, of wh. 

 Pericues, Monquis, and Colimies are the most known. They 

 different languages, and go nearly naked. 



Loreto is considered the capital of Lower California. It is situated 

 on a bay in the Gulf of California, about 26 20' N. lat., at the foot 

 of a valley between 2000 and 8000 feet wide, and surrounded 1 

 and sterile mountains, of which La Giganta (the Giantess) | 

 to 6000 feet The town is small, and inhabited by only ab" 

 persona. Two gardens in the valley belong to the community, and 

 their fruits supply the principal article of trade. The anchorage of 

 the bay is open to the winds from north-north-west and south-east 



La Paz, the moat important town, ia farther to the south (about 

 24 10' N. lat). It stands at the head of a deep bay, but is a place of 

 little trade. In its vicinity U a considerable quantity of cultivated 

 land, and near it is the gold mine of S. Antonio. Fruit and vege- 

 tables of excellent quality are raited. Its whole population is about 

 2000. The harbour of Pichiluigo, which lies near La Pax, is good ; 

 but only small vessels can enter it, the water being shallow. At the 

 latter end of 1853 an attack was made on La Paz by an armed party 

 of about thirty Americans from Upper California, who landed, 

 overcame what little resistance was made by the inhabitants, declared 

 a republic, and nominated a government; but on a force being 

 assembled in the neighbourhood the expedition was re-embarked, 

 and sailed away. 



CALIFORNIA, GULF OF, which was first visited by Hernando 

 de Grixalva in 1534, and received the name of the Sea of Cortes, 

 extends along the west coast of America, between the mainland and 

 the peninsula of Lower California, beginning on the s>< 

 Cape Palmo on the peninsula (about 23 10' N. lat) ami the port of 

 MttWlan on the mainland (about 23 30' N. hit), and extending 

 north-west to the mouth >!' the liio Colorado (32 N. lat). Its length 

 U above 700 miles, and its breadth varies between 150 and 40 miles. 

 To the north f '27' N. Int. it is hardly more than 80 miles across at 

 any place. 



I U western shores are in general rocky and high, except to the north 

 of 80 N. hit, where the coast is sandy and flat This low coast con- 

 tinues on the east side of the gulf to the island of Tiburon, 1 

 begins to be somewhat higher, and continues so as far as the i. 

 of the liio Yaqui. From this point to the vicinity of Puuta Ai 

 the coast is again low and sandy. At the Punta Arricifea it is rocky 

 and lined with clifls. Between this cape and the port of Mazatlan it. 

 is of moderate, height, but in general not rocky. The eastern shore* 

 are lower and less rocky than the western, but like them they 

 decline towards the northern end, where they are flat and sandy. 

 Along the western COR.-- ,ily towards itx southern .-ml, are 



numerous islands, most of them of small size. Nearer the middle of 

 the gulf, though still towards the western shore, is the inland )' 

 Angeles, by for the longest island in the gulf, extending from 29 5' 

 to 29 40' N. lat ; somewhat south-east of it is one of larger area, 

 the island of Tiburon, which lies at the mouth of Bruja Bay on the 

 . - 



Fish are plentiful, and among them are some species of enormoua 

 sice, which are much dreaded by the pearl-diver* of the California!! 

 peninsula. These are especially the meros, tintareros, and the shark*. 

 The sharks as well as seals are most numerous to the n 

 island of Tiburon. Turtles and tortoises also abound, principally 

 along the shores of the mainland north of Tiburon, where the shells 

 of the latter are collected by the Indians. The sea at the outran 

 the gulf j much frequented by the spermaceti whole, and on that 



