May.] PORT ST. FRANCISCO 211 



is the most delightful place I have ever seen on the western coast of 

 America. It presents a broad sheet of water, of sufficient extent to 

 float all the British navy without crowding ; the circling grassy shores, 

 indented with convenient coves, and the whole surrounded by a ver- 

 dant blooming country, pleasingly diversified with cultured fields and 

 waving forests ; meadows clothed with the richest verdure in the gift 

 of bounteous May ; pastures covered with grazing herds ; hill and dale, 

 mountain and valley, noble rivers, and gurgling brooks. Man, enlight- 

 ened, civilized man, alone is wanting to complete the picture, and give 

 a soul, a divinity to the whole. Were these beautiful regions, which 

 have been so much libelled, and are so little known, the property of 

 the United States, our government would never permit them to remain 

 thus neglected. The eastern and middle states would pour out their 

 thousands of emigrants, until magnificent cities would rise on the shores 

 of every inlet along the coast of New California, while the wilderness 

 of the interior would be made to blossom like the rose. 



The soil of the surrounding country is very rich, deep, and fertile, 

 and much of it is thickly clothed with as fine ship-timber as grows in 

 the United States, and generally of the same kinds. Pine, spruce, and 

 red cedar are found in abundance, and of a size sufficient for masts 

 of the largest ships. At some distance in the interior are extensive 

 plains, luxuriantly covered with clover and various kinds of grasses, on 

 which thousands of wild cattle and horses graze unmolested. Many 

 animals that produce fur are found on the banks of the rivers, and a 

 great variety of fish resort to the bay in the spawning season. 



During the summer season the wind generally blows, in the day- 

 time, from north-north-west to west in the bay ; but never very strong. 

 During the winter months it blows in the daytime from south-west to 

 south-south-east ; but at night, within the bay, it is calm nineteen- 

 twentieths of the year. 



The town of St. Francisco stands on a table-land, elevated about 

 three hundred and fifty feet above the sea, on a peninsula five miles in 

 width, on the south side of the entrance to the bay, about two miles to 

 the eastward of the outer entrance, and one-fourth of a mile from the 

 shore. It is built in the same manner as Monterey, but much smaller, 

 comprising only about one hundred and twenty houses and a church, 

 with perhaps five hundred inhabitants. The fort stands on a promon- 

 tory, on the south side of the entrance, and mounts ten guns, which 

 would be sufficient to command the passage, were the works kept in 

 any kind of order. 



The inhabitants of this place are principally Mexicans and Span- 

 iards, who are very indolent, and consequently very filthy. They cul- 

 tivate barely sufficient land to support nature ; consequently nothing 

 can be obtained here by way of refreshments for ships ; but at the 

 mission of St. Clara, of which I shall speak presently, ten ships at a 

 time may be abundantly supplied with every thing they require, at a 

 very low price. The table-land before mentioned would produce 

 abundantly with proper cultivation ; but its surface is scarcely ever 

 disturbed by plough or spade, and the garrison depends entirely upon 

 the mission for all its supplies. Sufficient wheat and vegetables for 



