Page:California Inter Pocula.djvu/228



stantial, and  coated  with  dazzling  white  or  straw  color, and the  streets  clean.

Crossing the  gulf  and  continuing  our  course,  on  the 27th we  meet  the  steamer  New  Orleans  bound  south. Past the  surge-smoothed  granite  columns,  cavern ed rocks,  and  high  white  beach  of  Cape  St  Lucas,  and out of  the  intertropical  regions,  and  the  temperature changes ; particularly  in  summer,  when  the  traveller leaves the  warm  southerly  winds  of  the  Central American and  Mexican  coasts  for  the  cool  bracing northwesters and  chilly  fogs  of  California. And with the  climate  scenery  changes,  and  desolation  now marks the  border  of  our  way,  hitherto  robed  in  re- dundant vegetation. The forest-clad  Cordilleras  of Mexico  disappear  and  the  treeless  hills  of  the  penin- sula come in  view. Approaching the  colder  regions, the albatross  turns  back  and  we  are  met  by  myriads of Mother  Carey's  chickens,  and  graceful  gulls  which follow the  ship  for  hundreds  of  miles. The southern cross dips  lower  and  lower  until  it  finally  disappears, and the  north  star  rises  each  night  higher  above  the horizon. Drooping spirits  revive. White linens  and blue flannels  are  packed  away,  and  winter  woolens and thick  clothing^  substituted.

The coast  of  Lower  California  as  seen  from  the steamer, presents  a  series  of  openings  and  headlands, with now  and  then  volcanic  mountains,  and  unbroken plains of  vast  extent,  reaching  far  into  the  interior, all basking  beneath  a  fervent  sky. In places  are rocky steeps  over  which  are  scattered  a  few  cacti  and some distorted  shrubs,  with  more  robust  vegetation back of  all,  and  now  and  then  a  fertile-looking  valley running inland. The islands  of  Santa  Maro-arita  and Cerros lying  near  the  mainland  present  rather  an  un- inviting appearance. The country,  however,  is  more attractive on  nearer  acquamtance.

And now  our  eager  eyes  catch  the  half-transparent hills of  Alta  California,   but  before  we  fairly  reach