The morning call., 1893-05-28
BY THE GOLDEN GATE.

San Francisco pictureSquely enthroned upon
her bills, is the most striking feature of au eX-
Lruisitey colored mosaic of mountains shores.
ISLANDS, waters, skies and evidences of crowd
ng human life, and it is a charming subject for
The study of Tie encbanlment that distance
lends to cities.
The approach o a great town is one of a dis
tinct variety of experience to In traveller. When
the train or steamer approaches, and lights or
smoke or peOped hills or towers or cleaning
domes or mass of s0uare-roofed buildings
make he tourist sensible that the city is near,
and there comes lively anticipation of soon
being iD the midst of its busting life, he is apt
to be keeniy obseryant of all the features the
city may display. He is interested and open to
impressions.
There may be two elements Of interest in the
scene presented BY the place he is nearing.
One may be It's beauty or pcturesQueness and
tile other may be the history with which il is
connec ed and which gllds with the romance of
the past the present charms that may greet The
eye.
The impressions produced at this time are
diheient from those produced in more rapid
succession when the observer becomes swal-
lowed up in The busy streets. and the picture
lie city represents IS of different nature. The
city is reca ded as a whole. and 1t appears with
an individuality. 1t Is. perhaps, a Slagle feat
ure OF larger picture.
There are no fofsaken haunts of the gods or
crumbling temples or backgrounds OF ancient
heroes 10 give an added Inspiration TO the hills
about the Golden Gate, and they neea none.
1he iieture is rare one with just its present
changing beauty.
Nne most Impressive view is tne one obi aimed
T ON The deck OF steamer as II nears the
Go den Gate, aud also as it steams into the bav
and passes AIcatraZ. The effect of The ttcture
is heightened if it is the time Of year when all
the brown OF summer duls the beauty. From
Point Bonita 10 Lime Point. on Ihe northern
siCe of the Golden Gaze. the preciptous sides
OF the low bluffs next he wafer are white or
Iawny, but back of Them and above them
higher and higher rise the green nd smoothly
rounded Marin County hills, with oarkIy
wooded Iamapas towering far above them all.
Above Fort Point on the other side are heights
that. toO are green OF frOwning, and the cury-
ing beach that sweeps cut toward Sulro
Heights presents continuous array of ste p
picturesque bluffs. beyond which are here and
there signs OF ga dens and of city lie. As the
narrow channel Is passed a glorious vi W bursts
upon The vision. The placid, shining bay wear
ing three green ISLANDS like emeralds upon its
breast spreads on Tar 10 The south and east,
aad quickly carries the delighted eye in all
directions over its peac ful surface that is
here and th re yellowish with muddy cur
rents, but which In other directions seems
colored by The azure sky and which may fash
IN silyery whlteness toward where the sun is
beaming IN the soft heavens. On the LEFT the
near mountains and foothills that are being
left behind display their charmingly broken
slopes and ciestS and eXquisitey varied tnts
and shades, from the dark forests OF Tamalpais
10 the light green of the lower Ellis broken by
many deep and daro looking gulches. Farther
away, across the bay to the east, the more DIS
tant mountains aud green foothills appear
smoothly Irregular in outline, aud along the
narrow lain for twelve miles or so the string
OF suburbs from last Ber. ely TO Alameda
nestle charmingly aU tie base OF the nils
Souihward the bay spreads farther than the
eye can see, and low mountain ranges, prob
ably wrapped in a faint blush haze. become
more indisInct with the distance until they
turn into low, darkly blue banks aud lose
Themselves in a haze OF blending mountains,
sky and waters. There is freshness and charm
ing vargt ty ana picturesque beauty that Is
inspiring when the picture that is spread cut 10
the north, east and south is seen on a bright
warm winter day from just Inside the Golden
Gate.
But one does not wait to study at length
all these elements OF The scene before
looking at the city. II is the most
prominent and noticeable feature OF the
panorama as it sIls upon It's many hills
overioo ing the Pacific and the narrow and
less sea for lis western limit. At first Iele-
graph and Russian hills aud The slopes Toward
the bay and toward Richmond exhibit all thal
is 10 be seen of the metropolis. and II is not the
architectural features OF the view that awaken
admiration. The hills themselves, thickly COW
cred with frame buildings form a strIkingly
picturesque scene. There are no ancient
citadels or famous structures that cost nil
lions displaying themselves from The city's
heights and interesting The observer miles at
a, though there may be when san francisco
has added a thousand or 20 to her fifty years Oh
existence; but with three sides Tapped by PIE
turesque waters and with vast setting OF Won
drous beauty OF natures modelling ana painting
about her, the metropolis OF Americas western
shore. presents a st.ikingly picturesque scene,
Which few cities Of the world can rival.
The most familiar view OF the city, and the one
that is most frequently The first one seen by
travellers. is that gained on The loute oil ferry
travel across The bay. From the other side OF
the bay the view is one of vast amphltheateT,