Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1872-06-12
A Trip TO California.-.NO q.

from here, as the bird flies, or the wind blows
but as we are neither bird nor the wind, it is TO
he reached by us, as we are to find out, by
tedious detour, over the bays and among the
canons Of the coast, Of about seyenty-fye miles.
And therefore we have only time to take good
bath, do justice to an ample supper, enjoy good
"crooked nights sleep, and take the morning
boat for Petaluma, that lies forty miles away,
across the Bays of San Francisco and San Pablo,
aud half dozen miles Of p. Donahoe's railroad,
as it is called, mot the p. Donahoc of the Boston
Riot, but his San Francisco counterpart, whose
genius runs to making lrishmen's railroads in
stead Of m Irishmans paper). The point Of
land we wish 10 reach is Point Reyes, which we
can see, by consulting an atlas is the point upon
this California coast nearest China There are
several ways Of reaching it, but, of course, not
knowing the I" lay Of the land - ourselves, and
not being able to find anybody that docs, we shall
be sure TO take the poorest and Grthest way but
the way we do take carries US over a couple Of the
finest bays in the world, and furnishes Us with
pretty correct idea Of the contour Of the country
adjacent to the city on the North. We enter
upon that way, from one Of the city wharyes at
San
1t is one Of the opening days Of the dry season.
Orcourse we all know what that means that the
Pacific slope has but two seasons, IN one Of which
rain falls almost necessarily in the other, none at
all, 50 to speak. Well when we step on board the
petaluma boat. il is tie morning of one Of the
first DAYS of the dry slis,n. before the cloudcss
sun and the incessant trade winds that come
rushing over the ocean from tho o,ld North .wo-t
4 l.. g.. q.
cbeekered with cracks and brown with a with.
cred vegetation. No Vermont spring morning
could he finer or more mild or more serenely
bland. The waters of the broad and beautiful
bay are in profound rcpose. Broad and beautiful
are lust the words with which to describe the
Bay Of San Francisco. What a wonderful phe-
nomenon Of Nature it presents With it, rock
ribbed entrance. the Golden Gate, so narrow that
a half dozen vessel. can barely pass through ii
abreast. easily derensible with two companie, of
artillery against the naval ornaments of the
world with water surface enough within the
Gate for the navies of a half dozen worlds like
ours to ride safely at anchor. There it lies. in a
basin followed out of the primevol hills by some
preat eonyulsion of Nature its two fair arms
Susan BAY and San Pablo Bay. reaching out the
onetoward petaluma and the other toward yalleyo.
ootb pro.nerous and growing cities worthy and
believe destined. To be bordered by vii.
las. VILLAGES. towns and cities Of AZ many mil
n.y. -.
-. -. ,,,,,,t.-.
- 80. - -, -. ,,.i
~ $50. .,.. =. - ~ a,.ia7,,,',..t -.
s,,rcs ,bs, all E,,one and b,rJe,i,,, a h.v
whose entrance l. the Golden Gate whose length
l. G,rtv miles whose breadth +. from one milo IN
fifteen. and whose shores are almost uniformly
rock.b,upd and abrupt of descent beneath the
water and either gently Shining nm and away
IN plateaus. or dividing into long wide vallies oi
soil Of unsurpassed richness and threaded with
rivers many of which. like the Sacramento are
navioable many miles rr,m their ooutbs
There are several dravhacEs which will c,rns
into nlav in the C,6lment or this copntrv's grand
possibilities mention or which will no made all
in GOOD time but far the nresent let us nav the
attention the scene of this magnificent sheet of
water. this lnnd-lockcd bav this onecn oi the
worlds barbors Iving hero inviting the com.
merce of two hemisphere, deserves. This morning
ride over il bosou il like sail tbrnngh f,irv land
Dat of its calm. dark waters. numerous little
islands liz their heads. various of .ze and varied
in C,rm but all frnm waters edpe IN t,nmos,
crest. clothed in A livery of living green. Yer.
mont il called-and. compared with her sis,e,
Eastern States. well called too.-the Green
Maintain State but the green dress that robe.
these islands and the surrounding shores. ia OF
color =, brilliantly green. if the EXPRESSION b,
allowable. az Ia be beyond comparison with the
green rarment spring nuts upon the yalliesand hill