Prescott journal. [volume] (Prescott, Wis.) 1861-1871, 1863-06-20
FROM JAY wHIPPLz.

Francisco. four miles from the city, there
stood, in early times, bold, narrow, jo!-
ting prcmontory of hard serpentine rock,
IO7 feet above the level of the
ocean, surrounded by small Mexi-
can fertilization, called Fort BaDco.-
The oil Mexican structure has now been
swept away, and Fort Point was CON-
mcnccd in 1854, mounting l6f guns.
with accommodations for 2,400 more
She prec;pilate and rockv coast Of Cab
fornia, which in this parallel from Mon
terey north, presents scarcely an indenta-
ton, here suddenly breaks asunder, eaus
inc the great cleft or fissure in the coast
range. known as the Golden Gate the
distance across from shore to shore be-
ing one mile and seventeen yards. The
Bay of San Francisco. Of which the
Golden Gate forms the entrance, WAS not
discovered tilI The end of October, 1863.
when Dan Casper do PoFtala, the first
Governor of California. encanped on its
shores. The Bag is formed by the con-
fuence Of the blended waters of the
Sacramento, aud Joaquin rivers.
Alcatraz, or Bird Island, is also with
in the Bay. anI within tho limits OF the
city aud county. This island takes It's
name from the immense numbers Of
these aquatic binds, (pilicans,) which in
early days sought it as an abiding place.
The apex Of this rocky eminence is lbs
feet above lie level of the water. and its
area IS acres. TIE position of this
small island, suggesting at once extreme
strength and impregnablo defense, caus-
ed it to be reserved by the United States
authorities at the time of the cession Of
California by Mexico, and preparations
were st once made to render it a formd-
able sentinel to watch over the safety Of
the city. Three batteries encirclc this ma
tura stronghold. The orc facing the ci
ty. and commanding the Bay towards
the city. mounting IS guns; another
mounting 6 guns, and one on the north
ern side of the island, mounting 40 guns.
The ordnance is of the most effective
used in the service, some of item being
of immense cnlibre. There are also
three bomb proof magazines, an ex
teEsive furnace for heating shot and com
mon balls, fog bell and light house.
Deep water-malks exist ali round the is
land, and with the exception of one or
two places, the sides are so steep that
landing could be effected with only great
difficulty. These two notifications are
the bold seutinels of defense for the citv
of San Francisco.
saw lately n copy Of Chambers Ed
inbureh Journal for March, 1850, which
contains an extract from letter written
here in 1919. by the first officer of
merchant vessel, 10 his friends in Eng
land. 1t will serve TO give an idea how
little this, Ike many other visitors of hat
carly day, know of the city and country
lie wrote of SO sapientIy /:
"The world is turned upside down
here altogether. Seamen's wages are
$50 rer month: laborers Get seven dol
lars per day; and Jack is rs gaol as his
master. Ships innumerah!e are living
here without a soul on boar,l-al gone
of to the d;ggiGgs. The climate IS de-
c.dediy beastly. Fever anil nsuc abound,
and dysentery carries off thousands
There is population Of $4,000 in this
town, aud Only about one hundred tolcr-
abe houses; al the rest are hosels or
mere sheds; and the greater part OF the
population live in tents, AMI sleep on the
bare grounl. Us miserable place,
though they speak Of dollars rs YOU do
of pence in England, aud of ounces of
gold as you 10 Of half crowns. Still,
with all their money they canno; obnin
comfortable meal or q comfortable lodg-
ing. Gambling is carried on to fright
full extent. The amount of drunkenness
exceeds belief. As soon as the vessel s
discharged, VIC proceed to Tah ii. OF
the hundreds of ships that left England
in February, not one has yet arrived
They will be nearly as good rs lost to The
owners, and the shippers of the goods
will be ruined, for goods of all sorts are
now lying rottiug ashore. Tho crews
viii ali. desert, and men can't DO lad to
man them again at any price. A vcs-
sci left this port FOR FIauee tho other day
with seamen at Sl40O for the VOYAGE to
France. The diggings are more than
100 miles in extent, and gold will be
found there in plenty as long as men eau
be found TO 90 and die for II. or rather