196 Audubon s Western Journal 



As we moved off I could see the whole town 

 situated on high hills facing the bay, to the south- 

 east on one side, to the southwest on the other. I 

 could almost fancy as we made our way to the open 

 bay through the crowd of vessels, that I could hear 

 the chink, chink of dollars as the gamblers put 

 them down on the Monte tables, and a picture of 

 the whole place, a regular Inferno, came before 

 me as plainly as if I actually saw it. Every house, 

 with rare exceptions, letting out their bar-rooms 

 as well as all other available space, for gambling 

 purposes, immense rents being paid for a mere 

 shell of a house. In some of the hotels one hun- 

 dred dollars a day was paid for space to place a 

 single Monte table; but I will leave all this, and 

 sail on over the beautiful bay towards the east, 

 which sends the gold that makes this hell-hole of 

 crime and dissipation. 



Passing out of the mass of shipping to the left, 

 opens out the pass to the ocean, and ahead of us, 

 surrounded by beautiful hills, smooth but steep, 

 green and velvety to look upon, a few tall redwoods 

 ended the view to the south. The water was as 

 smooth as a lake, and the moon rose on so calm a 

 sheet that its reflection was a long, straight line of 

 light, almost as brilliant as itself, and I sat late on 

 the deck to admire it, and to think of all at home, 

 but at last went down to the filthy cabin, wrapped 

 myself in my blankets and lay down in a corner 

 possibly a shade less dirty than the others. 



