A CALIFORNIA MIDWINTER VIEW. 



From the tower of the Hotel del Coro- 

 nado, Coronado, California, an un- 

 rivaled bird's-eye-view can be had of 

 Coronado, San Diego, bay and ocean. 



Up, up we clamber, and finally reach 

 the top, turn about and look below. 

 "How beautiful !" is the exclamation of 

 every one. Out we look on one side, as 

 far as the eye will let us, over a wide 

 stretch of green, blue sea, tumbling and 

 dashing; flecked with foamy, white 

 crests, and sparkling in the sunlight, 

 reaching all the way from Point Loma. 

 to the mountains in old Mexico, and 

 forming a panorama of evershifting 

 beauty. 



At sea, miles away the Coronado 

 Islands stand out like blue sentinels 

 guarding the entrance to the bay. Some- 

 times they form a beautiful mirage. 



The day is charming; the air warm 

 and balmy, while the sun shines bright- 

 ly, radiantly from overhead, lightening 

 up the wide, waste of waters, all around, 

 until they glisten like flashing brilliants. 

 Coronado is under our feet and seems 

 to be in the center of the sea. Within 

 the circle of its vivid green can be de- 

 fined the long avenues of palm, and pep- 

 per trees which, retaining their green- 

 ness the entire year, reach down to 

 where they meet the azure brightness of 

 the sea. 



Beyond Coronado to the north the eye 

 is able to take in another expanse of blue 

 water ; the ever-changing, yet motion- 

 less, marine picture of the wide sunny 

 bay. 



The Bay of San Diego, calm and deep, 

 lies before us. a vast sheet of quiet wat- 

 er with cool, silvery, blue tints, sur- 

 rounded by fair green shores. Many 

 are startled into exclamations of delight 

 with their first view of the bay. Dotted 

 with sail and row boats flitting about 

 swiftly in every direction upon its placid 

 breast, and overhung with soft gray 

 clouds of smoke from the Coronado 

 Ferry, it makes a study of color such as 

 is rarely .seen. 



Casting our eyes across the bay we 

 catch a glimpse of the peerless city of 

 San Diego rising abruptly from the 

 water and crowning the hillsides, white 

 and dazzling like a city of marble against 

 a green background. 



Later on as the day wanes, a gorgeous 

 sunset unfolds its splendor in the western 

 sky. The sunsets as seen from Coronado 

 Beach are incomparably beautiful. 



"From amber and gold so bright 

 To azure and gray so grave." 



With the approach of evening, the 

 wind which has been tumbling white, 

 frothing billows shoreward all day dies 

 away. Low down in the horizon hangs 

 the great round golden sun, coloring 

 vividly the sky with its floating clouds ; 

 tinting them orange and gold, and edg- 

 ing the waves below a soft rose color. 



On our right is Point Loma, rugged 

 and gray, standing as if at anchor where 

 the white, salt waves beat round its base. 

 Its summit is crowned by a light house 

 which is said to be the hijjhest in the 

 world. 



The picture is bounded by dainty 

 glimpses of golden landscape, hills and 

 sea which mingle in beauty and softness 

 with the blue mountains that loom up in 

 misty splendor, and open away in the 

 distance outlined against the light of 

 the sky. The whole effect is one of ex- 

 quisite charm. San Diego presents a 

 grand appearance in the soft light of the 

 dying day. The roofs and spires are 

 brilliantly aglow with the lingering rays 

 of the setting sun which kisses the glass 

 of the windows, framing them in pure 

 gold. 



Suddenly a steamer rounds the pro- 

 montory, leaving a long line of smoke 

 hanging in the air stretching away for 

 miles. Even it is softened by the dying 

 sun which flashes rosy gold on the cabin 

 windows, tall masts and snowy sails. 



A flock of sea gulls floating gracefully 

 up and down on the waves rise heavilv 

 out of the water, their white wings 



90 



IB 



