enerally
received opinions in reference to Lower California.

"Burlington, N.J., June 7, 1848.

"Dear Sir,--It affords me pleasure to give you all the information I
have about Lower California, derived from personal observation at
several of its ports that I have visited, in the U.S. ship Cyane, in
1846-47.

"Cape St. Lucas, the southern extremity of the peninsula of Lower
California, is in lat. 22 deg. 45' N., has a bay that affords a good
harbour and anchorage, perfectly safe nine months in the year; but it
is open to the eastward, and the hurricanes which sometimes occur
during July, August, and September, blow the strongest from the
southeast, so that vessels will not venture in the bay during the
hurricane season. I have landed twice at the Cape in a small boat, and
I think a breakwater can be built, at small cost, so as to make a safe
harbour at all seasons. Stone can be obtained with great ease from
three cones of rocks rising from the sea, and forming the extreme
southerly point of the Cape, called the Frayles. Looking to the future
trade and commerce of the Pacific Ocean, this great headland must
become a most important point as a depot for coal and merchandise, and
a most convenient location for vessels trading on that coast to get
their supplies. Mr. Ritchie, now residing there, supplies a large
number of whale-ships that cruise off the Cape, annually, with fresh
provisions, fruits, and water. The supplies are drawn from the valley
of San Jose twenty miles north of the Cape, as the land in its
immediate vicinity is mountainous and sterile; but the valley of San
Jose is extensive and well cultivated, producing the greatest variety
of vegetables and fruits. The sweet and Irish potato, tomato, cabbage,
lettuce, beans, peas, beets, and carrots are the vegetables; oranges,
lemons, bananas, plantains, figs, dates, grapes, pomegranates, and
olives are its fruits. Good beef and mutton are cheap. A large amount
of sugar-cane is grown, from which is made _panoche_, a favourite sugar
with the natives; it is the syrup from the cane boiled down, and run
into cakes of a pound weight, and in appearance is like our
maple-sugar.

"_Panoche_, cheese, olives, raisins, dried figs, and dates, put up in
_ceroons_ of hide, with the great staples of the Californians--hides
and tallow--make the export of San Jose, which is carried to San Blas
and Mazatlan, on the opposite coast. This commerce the presence of the
Cyane interrupt