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PETERS
July 2, 1950.

THE ROAD FROM SAN VINCENTE TO TEQUIZ PASSES THRU AN EXTENSIVE GROVE OF THE CERIAN TREE (THE CALABASH TREE WHICH HAS LEAVES AND FRUIT ON THE BRANCHES.) THIS IS REPLACED BY A SERIES OF CULTIVATED FIELDS, AND JUST OUTSIDE EL TEQUIZ IS A LARGE THORN THICKET, OF ABOUT THE SAME STUFF AS THE REST OF THE COASTAL STRIP.  FROM TEQUIZ TO OTOS DE AQUA DE SAN TELMO THE ROAD IS PRIMARILY THRU AND ALONG CULTIVATED FIELDS, WITH SOME FICUS AND MIMOSA, SPOTTY. A SHORT DISTANCE WEST OF THE OJOS, ALONG WITH A SLIGHT RISE INTO THE FOOTHILLS WHICH RUN DOWN TO THE OCEAN HERE, A TREMENDOUS OIL PALM FOREST BEGINS, AND RUNS UP TO THE FEW HOUSES OF OJO DE AGUA DE S.T. THERE ARE SEVERAL SPRINGS HERE, AND THE VEGETATION IS RATHER MORE HEAVY, WITH ELEPHANT EARS ALONG THE SMALL STREAMS. THE OIL PALMS ARE FOUND UP AND INTO THESE FOOTHILLS FOR QUITE A WAYS, ONLY WHERE THE GROUND IS FLAT FOR A SPACE. THE ROAD FROM OJOS TO LA PLACITA IS QUITE LONG, AND RUNS DOWN TO ALMOST THE TIP OF THE POINT OF SAN JUAN DE LIMA, CROSSING THE OUTLIERS TWICE ON THE WAY DOWN, THEN ACROSS THE MIDDLE, AND BACK UP THE OTHER SIDE, AGAIN CROSSING TWO OUTLIERS (AT LEAST). THEY GRADE INTO EACH OTHER QUITE A BIT. THESE OUTLYING FOOTHILLS OF THE SIERRA ARE PRINCIPALLY LIMESTONE AND OCCASIONAL SINKS WERE SEEN.  CTENOSAURS + SCELOP. PYROCEPHALUS WERE COMMON IN THE LIMESTONE, ALONG WITH TERIDS. THE VEGETATION ON THE SLOPES WAS QUITE DIFFERENT, WITH A LOT MORE LONG GREEN UNDERBRUSH, AND A TALL, [[strikeout]] RATHER GNARLED TREE WITH A PEELING BARK PREDOMINATED. THE TRIP WAS FINISHED IN THE DARK - THE LAST OUTLIER AND THE BEACH LEG, AS WELL AS A FAIRLY DEEP PENETRATION INTO THE COASTAL THICKET.
THE SIERRA OUTLIERS DROP STEEPLY INTO THE OCEAN, AND LACK ANY BEACH WHATSOEVER.