The Union and journal., 1869-12-10
Muiun aud sunrual.
oar Pacific Correspondence.
SAN FRANCISCO, 1869.

Oar Pacific. Correspondence.
SAN FRANCISCO, 1869.
EDIToR UNION AND JoURSAL:- r4 H
At tho close Of my last was speaking
of our entrance to tho harbor OF Acapul-
co. The night was extremely dark. Two
Indians occupied each canoe rs they row.
cd ont to meet us, and their shrill cries as
they tried to engage the attention of some
purchaser. made up altogether n scene
that will remain long impressed upon my
memory. The next morning when the
gong awakened us we were quietly steam
Ing up the coast the same Ms before, and
but for the numerous stalks of bananas
and IN indefinite quantity of lines and
oranges lying around, tho events Of the
previous night have passed rs an idle fam
cy of the brain. Tho following night tho
weather was too warm to admit Of sleep
ing; SO, to while away the time comfort
ably, lighted cigar and climbing out ON
the life raft which projected considerably
beyond the ruddcr-post. watched tho
phosphorescence of the sea. This Is one
Of those splendid phenomena Of nature
which excites our admiration even when
we behold its occurrence every night for
months together. Tho ocean Is phospho-
resent in every zone, but he who has not
witnessed the phenomenon in the tropics,
and especially in the Pacific, can form but
q very imperfect idea of the majesty Of
this brilliant spectacle. The traveller on
board an ocean steamer when ploughing
the waves before fresh breeze, feels that
he can scarcely satisfy himself with gazing
on tho spectacle presented by the circlins
waves. Wherever the, ships side rises
above the waves. blueish or reddish flames
seem to flash lightning-like upwards from
the keel. The scene presented In the
tropical seas on a dark night like this is
indescribably glorious when shoals of dol
phins arc seen sporting around and cut
ting the foaning waves in long circling
lines of sparkling light.
On the 10th day from Panama we put
into Manzanillo, another Mexican port,
considerably smaller than Acapulco. It
has beautiful little harbor but otherwise
its features are like all other seaports on
this coast. noticed here q species Of the
cactus that grows to an immense height,
sometimes rs much as thirty feet. This
plant is to Mexico what the Canada this.
tic Is to US; 1t hourishcs anywhere and
everywhere. On the l4th day from Pan
anna we entered the Golden Gate, the en-
trance to the harbor of San Francisco.
Tho sun was just setting, and 1t lighted
up the crcsts of the mountains in the back
ground, and Mt the same time brought out
in grand relief old Fort Point on our right
and the cliffs on our lcft, with litlet
white lighthouse perchcd away up among
the clouds, rs It were. At =. VI. we
were snugly moorcd alongside tho p. M.
Co.'S dock, and in very short time most
of us were having comfortable sleep on
terra firma. The hotels would compare
very favorably with our first.class hotels
In the Eastern States, and are very con-
vcnicnt of access from the terminus Of
any steamboat line or railroad.
San Francisco is built chiefly on the
sides of series of undulating hills though
u large part of the business potion Of tho
town is built on piles and land made from
street cuttings. This city is to tho West
what New York is to the East, tho great
central depot all the States and Terri
tories surrounding 1t, viz;-Orcgon. Ne
vada, Idaho, Washington, Montana, Utah,
Colorado, Arizona, New Mexico and all
the Mexican and Central American States
bordering on the Pacific Ocean. San
Francisco also carries on large and nd
vantagcous trade with China, japan. and
the Sandwich Islands, and within the last
year or two its grain trade with Europe
has. increased prodigiously. Tho climate
here Is remarkably healthy, pleasant and
br.cing the year round. Frost or snow Is
entirely unknown, and It never rains ex-
ccpt in the rainy season during the win
ter months. Vegetation Is moistencd and
nourished plcntifully by tho heavy dews
arising from the Pacifc.' The city con-
tains about one hundred and thirty thou
sand inhabitants most of whom live either
in hotels or furnished rooms" which you
will find in every part of the city. There
arc not many fine private residences but
most of the public buildings are very fine,
being built of beautiful fine grained
stone of u blueish tingc and resembling
in composition, sandstone. The inhabi-
tants are mixture of all nations, Amcri-
cans, Irish, and Jews predominating. The
Chinese monopolize the common labor
particularly in laundry work which the
men perform in tho ncatnst manner. Me-
chanics, particularly carpenters, machin-
lists, brick layers, masons and blacksmiths
are in fair demand aud very well paid,thc
wages ranging from $3.50 to 800 in
gold per day. Provisions Of every kind
are cheap and in great abundance. They
have the finest markets In tho world here;