172 EAST PRUSSIA TO THE GOLDEN GATE 



which spoiled our fond hopes, notwithstanding the en- 

 deavor of our brave men to fight the difficulties success- 

 fully by shifting the sails diligently. You will readily 

 imagine our thorough disappointment when finding our- 

 selves about three o'clock near the "Punta del Alio 

 Nuevo" — which means about sixteen miles from shore. 

 At last the storm subsided, the air became mild, even 

 warm, and the sea very quiet. By seven o 'clock we man- 

 aged to approach the shore anew and at present we are 

 slowly making our way Northward, rigged as yesterday. 

 The bark is now cruising some four miles from us, while 

 the brigg has anchored at Cape "Bonita" alongside of a 

 fullmaster. One can likewise observe a threemaster 

 cruising in the neighborhood of the Farallones. Poor 

 fellows! May they escape the danger-mark, as we did. 



At ten o'clock the bark had advanced sufficiently for us 

 to distinguish the Hamburg flag, and a little later we 

 recognized the "Sophie," Captain Decker, an old ac- 

 quaintance from Valparaiso, where she arrived coming 

 from Sydney, three days before we left that port. 



At high noon: Complete calm set in. The air is de- 

 lightfully warm. The three-master "Spray" from San 

 Francisco is now within close calling distance; she like- 

 wise has come from Valparaiso, which trip she made in 

 thirty-five days. We are now near Punta "Clara." At 

 three p. m. we have a slight Western breeze. The "So- 

 phie" is now within a mile of us. A large Peruvian bark 

 laden with ballast passed us a little while ago. The full- 

 masted ship which had anchored near Cape Bonita lias 

 set sail again; she evidently lost her fore-top-mast and is 

 now heading for the Bay. At seven p. m. We have taken 

 a Northern course since three o'clock; the air is warm and 

 the sky is cloudless. By half-past five we sailed around 

 "Punta de los Lobos Marinos" (seal rocks), passing the 

 Fort right after sun-set. At five minutes past six we an- 

 chored close to the American Revenue Cutter and just 

 outside of North Beach, in the outer harbor of San Fran- 

 cisco. 



Thursday, the fifteenth of January, 1852, at high noon: 



