ENTER THE “ GOLDEN GATE.” 45 
dense we could not take an observation, but still stood in to¬ 
ward land. At 12 o’clock we felt a slight breeze, and the mist 
rose like a curtain, displaying to our astonished vision the coast 
of California. A simultaneous shout burst forth, and our very 
ship seemed to bound with enthusiasm. We find by taking an 
observation that we are twenty miles north of the entrance to 
the bay. We had a fair wind, and passed along very near the 
coast, which is bold and rocky, rising and terminating in the 
coast range of mountains, and in the back ground the famed 
“Sierra Nevada,” (mountains of snow). 
At 3 o’clock, P. M., we arrived off a bold rocky promontory, 
which is the.north point to the entrance of the outer bay of San 
Francisco, called “De los Keys,” or King’s Point. We soon 
changed our course, standing in for the entrance to the inner 
bay, some twenty miles distant. The air was filled with geese, 
brant, loons, ducks, &c. We here saw the hair-seal, somewhat 
resembling a tiger. They would come to the surface, display 
themselves, and disappear. We saw, also, a very large whale 
coming directly toward the ship, alternately diving and reap¬ 
pearing, and the third time he came to the surface, he was quite 
near us. He threw up a column of water, and diving headlong 
toward the bottom, threw his huge tail into the air. Not wish¬ 
ing to come to anchor before morning, we shortened sail, and 
all “ turned in” 
In the morning we were a short distance from the u Golden 
Gate” the entrance to the inner bay, making for it with a fair 
breeze. A large ship was abreast of us, making for the same 
point. A schooner spoke us, and wished to pilot us in, but our 
captain not relishing California price ($200), declined. The 
strait through which we were about to pass, is an opening through 
the coast-range of mountains, about a mile in width, and has the 
appearance of having been cut through by the action of the in¬ 
land waters. The capes at either side are bold, and that on the 
right is fortified. We could not have made a more auspicious 
entrance. It was a delightful morning, with a fresh breeze, and 
the tide rushing in at eight knots. When we had made the 
entrance, we could see through into the inner bay, directly in 
the centre of which is an island of considerable elevation, which 
serves as a beacon to inward-bound vessels. The passage in 
