D I R E C T I O N S T O T H E B IN D E R F O R I N S E R T I N G T H E
P L A T E S A N D C H A R T S T O P A R T I I .
View o f Na p a-K ia n g (L o o Choo) to ja c e P age 452
L oo Choo Sepulchre 465
Natives o f Loo Choo 46S
D e p a rtu re o f a Loo Choo J u n k with T rib u te 472
Kwan-yin (Loo Choo D e ity ) 489
Fossil Remains, 1, 2, 3 . 596
Section o f a Mexican Bee-hive 614
P A R T II.
CHAPTER XIV.
D ec.
182C.
O b s e rv a tio n s o n th e C o u n t ry o f C a lifo rn ia a n d i t s T r a d e — C lim a te— M e te o ro lo g ic a l R e m
a rk s— S h o r t A c c o u n t o f th e W i l d In d ia n s— N a tu r a l P r o d u c t io n s— M o n te r e y— M is s io n
o f S a n C a r lo s— D e p a r tu r e .
T h e more we became acquainted with the beautiful country C H A P
around Sán Francisco, the more we were convinced that it possessed ^
every requisite to render it a valuable appendage to Mexico ; and it was
impossible to resist joining in the remark of Vancouver, “ Why such
an extent of territory should have been subjugated, and, after all the
expense and labour bestowed upon its colonization, turned to no account
whatever, is a mystery in the science of state policy not easily explained.”
Situated in the northern hemisphere, between the parallels
of 22° and 39°, no fault can be found with its climate; its soil in general
is fertile, it possesses forests of oak and pine convenient for building and
contributing to the necessities of vessels, plains overrun with cattle,
excellent ports, and navigable rivers to facilitate Inland communication.
Possessing all these advantages, an industrious population alone seems
requisite to withdraw it from the obscurity in which it has so long slept
under the indolence of the people and the jealous policy of the Spanish
government. Indeed it struck us as lamentable to see such an extent
of habitable country lying almost desolate and useless to mankind, whilst
other nations are groaning under the burthen of their population.
It is evident, from the natural course of events, and from the
rapidity with which observation has recently been extended to the
liithcrto most obscure parts of the globe, that this indifference cannot
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