Scenes of wonder and curiosity in California. Illustrated by upwards of 100 engravings

Front matter

SCENES OF WONDER AND CURIOSITY IN CALIFORNIA. ILLUSTRATED WITH OVER ONE HUNDRED ENGRAVINGS. A TOURIST'S GUIDE TO THE TO-SEMITE VALLEY, The Big Tree Groves— The Natural Caves and Bridges— The Quicksilver Mines of New Almadex and Henriquita— Mount Shasta — The Fakallone Islands, with their Sea Lions and Birds— The Geyser Springs— Lake Taiioe, and other Places of Interest. also Giving Outline Map of Routes to To-Semite and Big Tree Groves— Tables of Distances- Bates of Fake — Hotel Charges, and other Desirable Information for the Traveller. By J. M. HUTCHINGS, (of yo-semite.) NEW YORK AND SAN FRANCISCO: A. ROMAN AND COMPANY, PUBLISHERS. 1870. Entered according to Act of Congress, in the yearOnc Eight Hundred and Seventy, by J. M. HTJTCHINGS, In the Clerk's Office of the District Court of the United States, for the Southern District of New York, PREFATORY NOTE FROM PUBLISHER.

Since the completion and appointments of the great Overland Railway have made travelling to the Pacific Slope easy, pleasant, speedy, and safe, a general desire has arisen for information concerning its remarkable scenery, the cost of travelling, distances, hotel charges, etc. The cordial reception this volume has received in Cali fornia, where hitherto it has only been known, and the often expressed wish for its more general circulation, has led to the belief that a revised edition, giving the desired information, would supply a present need, and prove acceptable to the public. The author's twenty years' experience in California has made him familiar with its history and progress; a long time devoted to studying and sketching its most interest ing features, and an actual residence of six years in the wonderful Yo-Semite, together with his loving appreciation of the beautiful, have very naturally fitted him to write instructively and feelingly upon the subject.

Through his efforts, moreover, the attention of the public was first called to its sublime scenes, and for years he has, in many ways, been earnestly engaged in extending a knowledge of its glories. New York, May 2, 1870. CONTENTS.

Chapter I. Page

How the Calaveras Big Tree Grove was first discovered— Principal Routes to the Calaveras Grove— Alcatraces Island— Angel Island— Red Rock— Straits of Carquinez — City of Benicia — Monte Diablo — Sailing up the San Joaquin — City of Stockton— Stockton to Murphy's Camp— Road to the Mammoth-Tree Grove — The Mammoth-Tree Grove — The Great South Grove 0

Chapter II

Discovery and Location of the Caves of Calaveras— The Entrance— The Council Chamber — The Cathedral — The Bishop's Palace — The Bridal Chamber — Musical Hall— The Hotel 51 CHAPTER HI. Scenery around the Natural Bridges — The Upper Bridge — The Lower Bridge 56

Chapter IV

The To-Semite Valley, and Circumstances that led to its Discovery — The Mariposa Indian War — Things to Know before Starting on the Tour — Outline Map and Table of Distances by the different Routes — Travelling Fares and Time by the different Routes — Kinds and Amounts of Personal Baggage desirable — Hotel Charges in San Francisco, Yo-Semite, and while Travelling — See the Route Agent — The Country between Stockton and Yo-Semite — The Tuolumne South Grove of Big Trees and Road through it — Hints How to secure Enjoyment on the Trip — Descending the Mountain — Ride up the Valley— Outline Map of the Valley— The First Night in the Valley— What to do and see on the First Day — Walk to the Foot of the Lower Yo-Semite Fall — The Second Day: Mirror Lake, the Legend of Tu-tock-ah-nu-lah and Tis-sa-ack, the Bridal Veil Fall — Third Day : Visit to the Vernal and Nevada Falls, Ascent of the " Cap of Liberty," tho Country above the Nevada Fall, the Little Yo-Semite Valley — Fourth Day: Visit to the Tu-lool-we-ack or South Canon Fall, the South Dome from the South Canon — Fifth Day: Ride to Mount Beatitude and Inspiration Point — View from thence — Sixth Day: Trip to the Top of the Yo-Semite Fall, what seen when there — Seventh Day : To the Foot of the Upper Yo-Semite, the Glorious View — Eighth Day : Climb to the Top of Glacial Point and Sentinel Dome, Prominent Peaks visible — What Chas. Loring Brace says about Yo-Semite, also an English Gentleman— Comparison between Yo-Semite and different Scenes in Switzerland — Attempt to Climb the South Dome — Summary of Yo-Semite, and How the Name is Pronounced — Table of Altitudes at Yo-Semite, including all the Principal Falls and Mountain Points — Departure from it.. . CONTENTS. 5

Chapter V. Page

The Discovery of the Mariposa and Frezno Groves of Mammoth Trees — The Mariposa Grove — The South Grove — Visit to the Frezno Grove — The Ten Different Groves of Big Trees in California ]72

Chapter VI

Route to New Almaden — San Jose — An Old Saw — The Discovery and Ownership of the New Almaden Mine — Process of Extracting Quicksilver — The Road to the Mine — Process of Working the Mine — The Henriquita Quicksilver Mine — Dedicatory Ceremony of Blessing the Mine 184

Chapter VIII

Sail through the Golden Gate — Crossing the Bar — Don't-care-ishness — Visits from the Birds— Arrival at the Islands — The Sea Lions — The Hair Seal — ■ Birds and their Eggs — Wildness of the Sceues — The North Farallones 210

Chapter IX

In and around San Francisco — Ride to the Cliff House — The Sea Lions — The Beach — The Broad Pacific — The Old Mission Dolores — Woodward's Gardens — Views from the Bay of San Francisco — The Presidio — Sights from Telegraph Hill — Excursion to Tamal Pais 230

Chapter X

The California Geysers — Scenes on the Way — Foss, the Driver — The Hotel — Geyser Canon, its Unearthly Appearance, Proximity to a Warm Place, its Numerous Kinds of Springs — Strange Sounds — Distances, and Cost 245

CHAPTER XL

The Riffle-Box Waterfall 262

Chapter XIII

Alabaster Cave — Discovery of the Cave — Scenery on the Sacramento River — Salmon Fishing — The Hog's Back — Steamboat Slough — A Ride on the Sacramento Valley Railroad — Folsom — The Stage Ride to the Cave — The Beautiful Formations — The Wonderful "Dungeon of Enchantment, "and " Crystal Chapel" 26S Errata LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS. No. Page 1. Section of the Mammoth Tree at the Calaveras Grove 9 2. River Steamboats leaving the Broadway Wharf, San Francisco 15 3. Alcatraces Island 16 4. Red Rock 20 5. The Two Sisters 21 6. Straits of Carquinez 21 7. City of Benicia 23 8. Monte Diablo 26 9. Night Scene on the San Joaquin River 31 10. The City of Stockton 33 11. A Prairie Schooner 35 12. Hotel at Calaveras Grove of Big Trees 41 13. Cotillion Party on the Stump of the Mammoth Tree 42 14. Workmen Felling the Mammoth Tree 43 1 5.

Bowling Alley on the Trunk of Mammoth Tree 44 16. The Father of the Forest 46 17. Cone and Foliage of the Mammoth Trees.. . . 47 18. The Three Graces 49 19. Entrance to the Calaveras Cave 52 20. The Bridal Chamber in the Calaveras Cave 54 21. Hotel at the Calaveras Cave 55 22. Upper Side of Upper Natural Bridge on Cayote Creek 56 23. Lower Side of Upper Natural Bridge 58 24. Upper Side of Lower Natural Bridge 59 25. Distant View of the Yo-Semite Waterfall gi 26. Tu-tock-ah-nu-lah 27. Outline Map of Routes to Yo-Semite and Big Trees 80 28. Ho ! for Yo-Semite 103 29. Descending the Mountain to Yo-Semite j 04 30. River Scene at the Foot of the Trail LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS. 7 No. Page 31. Pom-pom-pa-sus ; or, The Three Brothers 108 32. Distant View of Pohono ; or, The Bridal Veil Fall. 109 33. The Ferry 110 34.

Outline Map of Yo-Semite Valley and Surroundings Ill 35. Ford of Yo-Semite Creek 114 36. Near View of the Yo-Semite Fall 115 37. Lake Ah-wi-yah, or Mirror Lake 119 38. The Sentinel 124 39. Near View of the Pohono, or Bridal Veil Fall 127 40. River Scene near Old Bridge 129 41. The Pi-wy-ack, or Vernal Fall 131 42. The Ladders 132 43. Merced River rushing through the Gorge at Diamond Flume 133 44. The Yo-wi-ye, or Nevada Fall 134 45. The South Dome as seen from the South Canon 139 46. The Tu-lool-we-aek, or South Canon Fall 140 47. General View of the Yo-Semite Valley 144 48. Indian Canon 146 49. The North and South Domes from the Valley 152 50. Taking the Indian Trail up the Mountain 164 51. Ascending the Lower Dome 167 52. Looking down the Valley toward Cathedral Rocks , 170 53. Scene in the Frezno Grove of Mammoth Trees 172 54.

The Twins in the Mariposa Grove of Mammoth Trees 175 55. Satan's Spear 176 56. The Grizzled Giant 181 57. Metal Yard and Entrance to the New Almaden Mine 184 58. San Jose, Santa Clara County 186 59. General View of the Quicksilver Works at New Almaden 188 60. Section of Quicksilver Smelting Furnace : 189 61. Mexicans weighing Quicksilver 190 62. The Shrine of Sefiora de Guadalupe 192 63. Miners taking out Quicksilver Ore 194 64. Tenateros carrying the Ore from the Mine 1 95 65. The Henriquita Quicksilver Mine on the Morning of Dedication 201 66. Mount Shasta 203 67. The South Farallone Islands, from Big Rookery LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS. No. Page 68. Clipper Ship crossing the Bar at the Entrance of the Bay of San Francisco. . 212 69. Enchanted with the delightful Prospect off the Bar 214 70. South-east View of the Farallone Islands 215 71.

Man in a Tight Place 217 72. Sea Lions and their Foung 218 73. The Hair Seal of the Pacific 219 74. The Murre, or Foolish Guillemot 222 75. Murre's Egg, natural size 223 76. The Tufted Puffin 224 77. View from West End of Farallone Islands 225 78. View from the North Landing of Farallone Islands 227 79. South View of Fort Point and the Golden Gate 230 80. The Drive along the Beach 234 81. The Ocean House 235 82. The Old Mission Church and Out-buildings 236 83. General View of the Mission Dolores 238 84. San Francisco Industrial School 240 85. The Presidio 242 86. The Witches' Cauldron at the Geyser Springs 245 87. The Steamboat " Rambler " navigating Petaluma Creek 248 88. Ray's Ranch, and the Russian River Valley 251 89. The Geyser Springs Hotel 255 90. Geyser Canon 256 91. Proserpine's Grotto 257 92.

View of Clear Lake, from the Bridge near the Geysers 260 93. The Riffle-Box Waterfall 262 94. Lake Tahoe 264 95. The Pulpit in Alabaster Cave 268 96. Lower Junction of the Main Sacramento and Steamboat Slough 273 97. Night Scene on the Sacramento River 274 98. Salmon Fishing — Paying out the Seine 275 99. Salmon Fishing — Hauling in the Seine 276 100. Group of Salmon on the Banks of the Sacramento , . 277 101. Upper Junction of the main Sacramento and Steamboat Slough 280 102. Levee Scene at Sacramento City 282 103. The Alabaster Lime-Kiln by Moonlight 286 104. The Crystal Chapel in the Alabaster Cave SCENES OF WONDER AND CURIOSITY [N CALIFORNIA. THE MAMMOTH TREES OF CALAVERAS. SECTION OF MAMMOTH TREE. From Photograph by T. Houseirorth & Co.

Chapter I

"God of the forest's solemn shade I The grandeur of the lonely tree, That wrestles singly with the gale, Lifts up admiring eyes to Thee , But more majestic far they stand, When, side by side their ranks they form To wave on high their plumes of green, And fight their battles with the storm." Peabodt. It is much to be questioned if the discovery of any wonder, in any part of the world, has ever elicited as much general interest, or created so strong a tax upon the credulity of mankind, as the discovery of the mammoth trees of California. Indeed, those who first mentioned the fact of their existence, whether by word of mouth or by letter, were looked upon as near, very near, relatives of Baron Munchausen, Captain Gulliver, or the celebrated Don Quixote. The statement had many times to be repeated, and well corroborated, before it could be received as true ; and there are many persons who, to this very day, look upon it as as a some what doubtful " California story ;" such, we never expect to con vince of the realities we are about to illustrate and describe, al though we do so from our own personal knowledge and observa tion.

HOW THE CALAVERAS GROVE WAS FIRST DISCOVERED. In the spring of 1852, Mr. A. T. Dowd, a hunter, was employed by the Union Water Company, of Murphy's Camp, Calaveras county, to ' supply the workmen engaged in the construction of their canal, with fresh meat, from the large cpiantities of game running wild on the upper portion of their works. Having wounded a bear, and while industriously following in pursuit, he • THE MAMMOTH TREES OF CALAVERAS. suddenly came upon one of those immense trees, that have since become so justly celebrated throughout the civilized world. All thoughts of hunting were absorbed and lost in the wonder and surprise inspired by the scene. " Surely," he mused," this must be some curiously delusive dream !" but the great realities standing there before him, were convincing proof, beyond a doubt, that they were no mere fanciful creations of his imagination.

When he returned to camp, and there related the wonders he had seen, his companions laughed at him and doubted his vera city, which previously they had considered to be very reliable. He affirmed his statement to be true, but they still thought it " too much of a story" to believe — thinking that he was trying to perpetrate upon them some first of April joke. For a day or two he allowed the matter to rest — submitting, with chuckling satisfaction, to the occasional jocular allusions to " his big tree yarn," and continued his hunting as formerly. On the Sunday morning following, he went out early as usual, and returned in haste, evidently excited by some event. " Boys," he exclaimed, " I have killed the largest grizzly bear that I ever saw in my life. While I am getting a little something to eat, you make preparations to bring him in.

All had better go that can possibly be spared, as their assistance will certainly be needed." As the big tree story was now almost forgotten, or by common consent laid aside as a subject of conversation ; and, moreover, as Sunday was a leisure day — and one that generally hangs the heaviest of the seven on those who are shut out from social in tercourse with friends, as many, many Californians unfortunately are — the tidings were gladly welcomed ; especially as the propo sition was suggestive of a day's excitement. Nothing loath, they were soon ready for the start. The camp was almost deserted. On, on they hurried, with Dowd as their guide, through thickets and pine groves ; crossing ridges and canons, flats and ravines ; each relating in turn the adventures experienced, or heard of from companions, with grizzly bears and other formidable tenants of the forests and wilds of the mountains ; until their leader came to a dead halt at the foot of the tree he had seen, and to them had related the size.

Pointing to the immense trunk and lofty top, he cried out, " Boys, do you now believe my big tree story ? That is the large grizzly I wanted you to see. Do you still think it a yarn ?" Thus convinced, their doubts were changed to amazement, and their conversation from bears to trees ; afterward confessing that, although they had been caught by a ruse of their leader, they were abundantly rewarded by the gratifying sight they had witnessed ; and as other trees were found equally as large, they became willing witnesses, not only to the entire truthfulness of Mr. Dowd's account, but also to the fact, that, like the confession of a certain Persian queen concerning the wisdom of Solomon, " the half had not been told." Mr. Lewis, one of the party above alluded to, after seeing these gigantic forest patriarchs, conceived the idea of removing the bark from one of the trees, and of taking it to the Atlantic states for exhibition, and invited Dowd to join him in the enterprise.

This was declined ; but, while Mr. Lewis was engaged in obtain ing a suitable partner, some one from Murphy's Camp to whom he had confided his intentions and made known his plans, took up a posse of men early the next morning to the spot described by Mr. Lewis, and, after locating a quarter section of land, immediately commenced the removal of the bark, after attempting to dissuade Lewis from the undertaking.* This underhanded pro ceeding induced Lewis to visit the large tree at Santa Cruz, discovered by Fremont, for the purpose of competing, if possible, with his quondam friend / but finding that tree, although large, only nineteen feet in diameter and 286 feet in height, while that in Calaveras county was thirty feet in diameter and 302 feet in height, he then turned his steps to some trees reputed to be the greatest in magnitude in the state, growing near Trinidad, Klamath * In the winter of 1854, we met Mr. Lewis in Yreka, and from his own lips received this account; and we think it no more than simple justice to him here to make a record of the fact, that such an unfair and ungentlemanly violation of confidence may be both known and censured, as it well deserves to i>e. county ; but the largest of these he found only to measure about twenty-four feet in diameter, and two hundred and seventy-nine feet in height ; consequently, much discouraged, and after spend ing about five hundred dollars and several weeks' time, he even tually abandoned his undertaking.

But a short season was allowed to elapse after the discovery of this remarkable grove, before the trumpet-tongued press pro claimed the wonder to all sections of the state, and to all parts of the world ; and the lovers of the marvellous began first to doubt, then to believe, and afterward to flock from the various districts of California, that they might see, with their own eyes, the objects of which they had heard so much. No pilgrims to Mohammed's tomb at Mecca, or to the reputed vestment of our Saviour at Treves, or to the Juggernaut of Hin dostan, ever manifested more interest in the superstitious objects of their veneration, than the intelligent and devout worshippers of the wonderful in nature and science, of our own country, in their visit to the Mammoth-Tree Grove of Calaveras county, high up in the Sierras.

Murphy's Camp, then known as an obscure though excellent mining district, was lifted into notoriety by its proximity to, and as the starting-point for, the Big-Tree Grove, and consequently was the centre of considerable attraction to visitors. PRINCIPAL ROUTES TO THE CALAVERAS GROVE. As very many persons will doubtless wish to visit these re markable places, and as we cannot in this brief work describe all the various routes to these great natural marvels, from every village, town, and city in the state — for they are almost as numerous and diversified as the different roads that Christians seem to take to their expected heaven, and the multitudinous creeds about the way and manner of getting there — we shall content ourselves by giving the principal ones ; and, after having recited the following quaint and unanswerable argument of a celebrated divine to the querulous and uncharitably disposed members of his flock, we shall, with the reader's kind permission, proceed on our journey.

" There was a Christian brother— a Presbyterian— who walked up to the gate of the New Jerusalem, and knocked for admittance, when an angel who was in charge, looked down from above and inquired what he wanted. ' To come in,' was the answer. ' Who and what are you V • ' A Presbyterian.' ' Sit on that seat there.' This was on the outside of the gate ; and the good man feared that he had been refused admittance. Presently arrived an Episcopalian, then a Baptist, then a Methodist, and so on, until a representative of every Christian sect had made his appearance ; and were alike ordered to take a seat outside. Before they had long been there," continued the good man, " a loud anthem broke forth, rolling and swelling upon the air, from the choir within ; when those outside immediately joined in the chorus. ' Oh !' said the angel, as he opened wide the gate, ' I did not know you by your names, but you have all learned one song — come in! come in !

The name you bear, or the way by which you came, is of little consequence compared with your being here at all.' As you, my brethren," the good man went on — " as you expect to live peaceably and lovingly together in heaven, you had better begin to practice it on earth. I have done." As this allegorical advice needs no words of application either to the traveller or the Christian, in the hope that the latter will take the admonition of Captain Cuttle, " and make a note on't," and an apology to the reader for this digression, we will enter at once upon our pleasing task. Those who start from San Francisco, for the Yo-Semite Valley or the Mammoth-Tree Groves, should first proceed to Stockton. This can be done by two routes : one via the Western Pacific railroad, and the other by steamboat. If the former, the distance is ninety miles, time four hours, ten minutes, and the starting point is the Alameda Ferry, at eight o'clock, a.m., and four o'clock, p.m. If the latter, you repair to the Broadway wharf a little before four o'clock, p.m., and the boat will arrive in Stockton in time next morning for the six o'clock stage.

This having been the route most generally traveled, we shall confine our attention mainly to it. There probably is not a more exciting and bustling scene of STEAMBOATS LEAVING THE WHARF — THE ANTELOPE FOR SACRAMENTO, AND THE BRAGDON FOR STOCKTON. business activity in any part of the world, than can be witnessed on almost any day, Sunday excepted, at Broadway street wharf, San Francisco, at a few minutes before four o'clock p.m. Men and women are hurrying to and fro; drays, carriages, express wagons, and horsemen, dash past you with as much rapidity and earnestness as though they were the bearers of a reprieve to some condemned criminal, whose last moment of life had nearly ex pired, and, by its speedy delivery, thought they could save him from the scaffold. Indeed, one would suppose, by the apparent recklessness of manner in riding and driving through the crowd, that numerous limbs would be broken, and carriages made into pieces as small as mince-meat ; but yet, to your surprise, nothing of the kind occurs, for, on arriving at the smallest real obstacle to their progress, animals are suddenly reined in, with a promptness that astonishes you.

On these occasions, too, there is almost sure to be one or more intentional passengers that arrive just too late to get aboard, and who, in their excitement, often throw an overcoat or valise on the boat, or overboard, but neglect to embrace the only opportune moment to get on board themselves, and are consequently left behind, as these boats are always punctual to their time of starting. With the reader's consent, as he may be a stranger to the vari ous scenes of our beautiful California, we will bear him company, and explain some of the objects we may see. As it is always cool in San Francisco on a summer afternoon, we would invite him to please put on his overcoat or cloak, and let us take a cosy seat together on deck ; and, while the black volumes of smoke are rolling from the tops of the funnels, and our boat is shooting past this wharf, and that vessel now lying at anchor in the bay, or, while numerous nervous people are troubled about their baggage, asking the porter all sorts of questions, let us have a quiet chat upon the sights we may witness on our trip.

The first object of interest that we find after leaving the wharves of the city behind, is ALCATRACES, OR PELICAN ISLAND, ALCATRACES ISLAND. This, we see, is just opposite the Golden Gate, and about half way between San Francisco and Angel Island. It commands the entrance to the great bay of San Francisco, and is but three and a half miles from Fort Point. This island is one hundred and forty feet in height above low tide, four hundred and fifty feet in width, and sixteen hundred and fifty feet in length ; somewhat irregular in shape, and forti fied on all sides. The large building on its summit, about the centre or crest of the island, is a defensive barracks or citadel, three stories high, and in time of peace will accommodate about two hundred men, and, in time of war, at least three times that number.

It is not only a shelter for the soldiers, and will with stand a respectable cannonade, but from its top a murderous fire could be poured upon its assailants at all parts of the island, and from whence every point of it is visible. There is a belt of fortifications encircling the island, consisting of a series of Barbette batteries, mounting, altogether, about ninety-four guns — twenty four, forty-two, sixty-eight, and one hundred and thirty-two pounders. The first building that you notice, after landing at the wharf, is a massive brick and stone guard-house, shot and shell proof, well protected by a heavy gate and drawbridge, and having three em brasures for twenty-four pound howitzers, that command the approach from the wharf. The top of this, like the barracks, is flat, for the use and protection of riflemen.

Other guard-houses, of similar construction, are built at different points, between which there are long lines of parapets sufficiently high to preclude the possibility of an escalade ; and back of which are circular plat forms for mounting guns of the heaviest calibre, some of which weigh from nine to ten thousand pounds. In addition to these, there are three bomb-proof magazines, each of which will hold ten thousand pounds of powder. On the south-eastern side of the island is a large furnace for the purpose of heating cannon balls, and other similar contrivances are in course of construction. Unfortunately,there is no natural supply of water on the island, so that all of that element which is used there is taken from Saucelito. In the basement of the barracks is a cistern, capable of holding fifty thousand gallons of water, a portion of which can be supplied from the roof of that building in the rainy season.

Appropriations have been made for the fortification of this island, to the amount of eight hundred and ninety-six thousand dollars ; and about one hundred thousand dollars more will com plete them. From forty to two hundred men have been employed upon these works since their commencement in 1853. At the south-eastern end of the island is a fog-bell, of about the same weight as that at Fort Point, which is regulated to strike by machinery once in about every fifteen seconds. The whole of the works on this island are under the skilful superintendence of Lieutenant McPherson, who very kindly ex plained to us the strength and purposes of the different fortifications made. The lighthouse, at the south of the barracks, contains a Fresnel lantern of the third order, and which can be seen, on a clear night, some twelve miles outside the heads, and is of great service in suggesting the course of a vessel when entering the bay.

Yet, as we are sailing on at considerable speed across the entrance to the bay, toward Angel Island, we must not linger here, even in imagination ; especially as we can now look out through the far-famed Golden Gate; the golden-hinged hope of many, who, with lingering eyes, have longed to look upon it, and to enter through its charmed portals to this land of gold. How many, too, have longed and hoped, for years, to pass it once again, on their way out to the endeared and loving hearts that wait to welcome them, at that dear spot they still call "iZbme/" God bless them ! Now the vessel is in full sail, and steamships that are entering the heads, as well as those within that are tacking, now on this stretch, and now on that, to make way out against the strong north-west breeze that blows in at the Golden Gate for five-eighths of the year, are fast being lost to sight, and we are just abreast of ANGEL ISLAND.

This island, but five miles from the city of San Francisco, was granted by Governor Alvarado to Antonio M. Asio, by order of the government of Mexico, in 1837 ; and by him sold to its present owners in 1853. As it contains some eight hundred acres of ex cellent land, it is by far the largest and most valuable of any in the bay of San Francisco, and the green wild oats that grow to its very summit, in early spring, give excellent pasturage to stock of all kinds ; while the natural springs, at different points, afford abundance of water at all seasons. At the present time there are about five hundred sheep roaming over its fertile hills. A large portion of the land is susceptible of cultivation, for grain and vegetables. From the inexhaustible quarries of hard, blue, and brown sandstone that here abound, have been taken nearly all of the stone used in the foundations of the numerous buildings in San Francisco.