VOYAGE TO SAN TKANCISCO. 201 



shore, passing Cape Blanco, 350 miles below Cape 

 Flattery. Port Orforcl, a place celebrated for 

 its cedar, is just visible through the haze; the 

 rounded hills behind it are quite white with 

 snow. Kept close inshore all day, but the weather 

 is too cold, and sea too rough, for one to enjoy 

 the scenery. 



March 3rd. Scrambled on deck again about 

 7 a.m. ; wind still ahead, but altogether a better 

 morning than yesterday. Had a good look at 

 Cape Mendozena, a bold rocky headland, to the 

 south of which is Mendozena city, consisting of 

 a few houses and a groggery. The coast-line 

 is exceedingly picturescjue and pretty : between 

 this headland and Point Arena a series of un- 

 dulating hills, capped with massive pine-trees; 

 their sides and grassy slopes, reaching down to 

 the sea-line, remind me of English hay fields ; it 

 seems almost like enchantment, the change in 

 the vegetation three days only from Vancouver 

 Island. 



March 4th. At sunrise I am on deck, called 

 by the captain, to get a peep at the ' Golden 

 Gate.' There is just enough light to reveal a 

 stupendous mass of bold mountain scenery, rising 

 apparently from the sea, and towering up 3,000 feet 

 and over, until lost in the haze of the morning- 



' ^i 



