The record-union., 1891-10-22
DUE SOUTH.
Continuation of "Len's" Trip to
San Diego.
Standing on the Border Line of the
United States and
Mexico.

ing sky, past the perilous rocks. The
Pomona rolls ever so little, and few un-
happy mortals pay a tribute to Neptune.
"One touch of nature makes the whole
world kim" 1 notice this, as a French
woman and German frau sing ''heave-
ye-oh'' chorus over one tin-dish.
At Newport pier we see the whole pop
ulation gathered to see the steamer; such
a healthy, happy crowd of people, fresh
from their sea-baths. The men looked
like old cucumbers, and as if they had
been in brine for week. 1 counted
seven men who had lost their four front
teeth-remarkable case of mortality
among their molars. They probably had
been cracking some hard jokes. L no.
ticed the ungraceful walk of many of the
women, and / came to the conclusion that
towns like San Pedro and Newport, built
on foundation of sand, without lime
and hair, caused this ungraceful walk /;
for, if you have ever observed. sand is an
exceedingly restless substance, and as a
foundation for sidewalks is not COM
mended, even in the Bible, if rocks are
handy-but alas rocks are scarce.
a number OF men are ranged in a row
on the end of the pier fishing. So close
are they sitting that one bite causes eX-
element, a sudden Swirling of rods and
lines and a tangle is the result, and the
dams were heard as frequently as they
are seen in a country where irrigation is
carried on extensively.
We leave a passenger and some freight
and steam on under q cloudleSs sky,
with just the taintest ripple on the water,
caused by the Pomona. Flyingtish are
seen now and then as we go south, and
hn "a fOl )r,.+
Hartford, the waving of their wings
keeping time to the curling puffs of
smoke from the smokestacll.
Night comes on, shore lights are twink
ling, lighthouses flash warnings from
rocky points, and far ahead of us we see
Point Iona light 500 feet above the sea,
the highest in the world. Now we see it
blushing ''red as the wine of forgotten
ages" now yellow as gold from the
sunbeams spun" The Pomona seems
assured of a welcome, and we speed to-
ward it. Soon the twinl1ling glory OF the
Del Coronado Hotel and beach lights are
seen, golden pins of nights dark veil
that covers the water, but the Pomona
sends abroad beams that tighten our
darkness from the electric search light,
and we make the steamboat wharf at 9
o'clock.
By daylight we notice the fine bay of
San Diego, thirteen miles long, with an
Think OF the possibilities for the growth of
a city with seaport like this. Juan
Rodriguez Cabrillo must have thrilled
through his whole name when he discov-
cred this bay and named it after his per-
sonal saint, James. Under a creamy lace
work of clouds or the blue of heaven it is
right royalty beautiful.
A huge pelican, whose bed-post is a
tall pile driven in the sand, stretches his
great wings out TO catch the first breeze
OF morning. His extreme ugliness
makes him seem a guardian demon of the
bay instead of an angel. We often read of
"a lone pelican in the wilderness" If
his ugliness is contagious he ought to be
alone; his bill resembles a fire shovel in
size; his clumsy attempt to dress his
plumage reminds one of the average
mans attempt TO locate a lady'S pocket.
This pelican droops his head in thought
Tor prayer, is lt?), when with a dive he
disappears in the water and energies
again with fish. What a fine way 10
catch tish-no bait, no hook, no line,
only q bill. All, if one could utilize
other large bills that way what bugbears
in this life would vanish.
We walk up the long wharf and to our
left is Silver Gate Bath-house. We hear
shout and in few moments a water
toboggan is flying down the slide and
skins over the water. 1t is the Pomona's
Captain steering this strange craft with
no rigging on it. The Captain has rig
ging enough, If decolette stripes count,
as red, white and blue flash in the morn
ing sun.
We take mule car up town to the
ferry, then the boat, and steam motor
that whirls Us through a lovely park
filled with flowers and shrubs, and here
and there lovely homes. We stop at a
dainty depot, and before us, like great
white mosque, with turrets and towers,
stands the ualati2l Ilal ('prpnaAn
The belt line gives one ride of thirty
miles around the peninsula to San Diego;
takes one through National City and
gives charming Vistas the whole ride
over the line on the Mexican limited,
through Chula Vista, finely cultivated
tract of land, where ali the tropical fruits
are grown. Otay, and down TO Tia Juana,
is popular and pleasant excursion.
The dark-eyed conductor calls Oti, and
we see Otay over the door. So things
are not always what they SEEM" So,
should the gardener want to spray the bay
trees to-day, he Will ask: ''Shall ] spry
the bi trees to di, marm?' This is the
Mexican limited of it. SO we said good
iii to Otay and whirled along at
leisurely rate, up grade, to a sanitarian
to leave sick passenger. Backed down,
switched of on a side issue TO a postoffice,
and once we stopped suddenly for no ap-
parent reason. i asked the cause, the
answer was, Dropped our exhaust,
num-" l said, oh" I never asked if
he had lost it for good, nor did / recon-
mend a bell around the eXhaust's neck TO
keep 1T from being lost, for my limited
mot MeXican) education did not contain
the knowledge what the exhaust was.
after we had lost it, for we went on till
hot-boX was obtained, and Tia Juana was
IN sight-at least the name was.
y year or SO ago cloud-burst washed
AWAY Tia Juana, its gardens, its homes.
and left but very little else. The Custom
house is intact-the duty had been paid
probably, and its adamantine cheek had
pursued it. | say cheek, for who on earth
would want to smuggle, and what would
they get to smuggle any way, as nothing
is in sight.
An old darlly came up with a flourish,
and, in the language of the darkest con-
tinent, asked us to ride. Ladies' and
gonpmens, come wild me 10 the confines
Of the United States, mile and quarter:
make is a mile and a harlf if yer say SO.
This way TO the kirridge"
The '"klrridge" was a cross between
Napoleon's travelling carriage and a ca
booSe with a herdik attachment, drawn
by two moth-eaten looking mules that
looked by reason of years as tho they
were connected by strong ties mot rail-
road ones to Baiaan's famous phono-
graphic mule. They were attached to the
vehicle by wire, rope and a little leather.
The reins were summer rains made of
rope. The driver, an assistant darky.
mounted the front seat, and the owner
hung on to the back door and shouted out
the points of interest.
Ladies and gempmen, hiar is the
MESSIAH on the rite (Sam touch up Buck
little on de rite to give dem the finest
view; TO de 1eft the dfvf6ing fine tween'
de States and Mexicoh Sam touch up
Mconshine little on the left. Hear YOU
have one foot in Mexicoh am the other in