A LAND OF DROUGHT AND 



DESERT- 



LOWER CALIFORNIA 



Two Thousand Miles on Horseback Through the 

 Most Extraordinary Cacti Forests 



in the World 



By E. W. Nelson 

 Of the U. S. Department of Agriculture 



With Photographs by B. A. Goldman 



LOWER CALIFORNIA is the long, 

 narrow peninsula that projects 

 about 800 miles southeasterly from 

 the southern border of California. Its 

 width varies from about 30 to over 100 

 miles, and its irregular coast-line, over 

 2,000 miles long, is bordered by numer- 

 ous islands. Being mainly a mountainous, 

 desert region, it is thinly peopled and 

 presents many sharply contrasting con- 

 ditions. Here low, sun-scorched plains, 

 where death by thirst awaits the unwary 

 traveler, lie close to the bases of towering 

 granite peaks, belted with waving pine 

 forests and capped in winter by gleaming 

 snow. 



Vast desolate plateaus of ragged black 

 lava embosom gem-like valleys, where 

 verdure-bordered streams and the spread- 

 ing fronds of date palms recall the mys- 

 terious hidden vales of the "Arabian 

 Nights." Its 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 

 history which goes back almost four 

 centuries and teems with varied events, 

 the peninsula still remains one of the 

 least - known parts of North America. 

 The early chronicles tell of its discovery 

 in 1533 by an expedition sent out by 

 Cortes in search of a fabulously rich 



island said to have been inhabited by 



Amazons. 



THE PATIENT WORK OF THE JESUITS 



It has been estimated that at the time 

 of its discovery the peninsula, including 

 many of the bordering islands, was peo- 

 pled by about 25,000 Indians. The in- 

 habitants vigorously resented the intru- 

 sion of newcomers, and for more than 

 a century efforts to establish military 

 colonies in the new land resulted in dis- 

 astrous failures. Then the occupation of 

 Lower California was put in the hands 

 of the Jesuits, and their missionaries 

 were wonderfully successful. They ex- 

 plored all parts of the peninsula and es- 

 tablished missions throughout most of 

 its extent, at the same time introducing 

 many of the crops and fruits of the old 

 world. 



In addition they established the three 

 main trails, which extend practically the 

 entire length of the peninsula and to this 

 day serve as the regular routes of travel. 

 One leads along each coast and the third 

 down the mountainous interior. The 

 coast trails are easier to travel, because 

 less broken ; but the middle one is most 

 used, owing to its better grazing and 

 more numerous water-holes. We fol- 

 lowed this route most of the time, but at 

 intervals changed back and forth to the 

 others. 



