East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, OR) 1888-current, 1915-05-24
CBy C. K. cranston)

SAN FRANCISCO. May "a
(special)-I took a long walk last
Sunday forenoon. In fact ] am walk
ing a good deal, not so much TO save
car fare. as in order to get into
training for tramping when | get
back to a country where body can
tramp for some good purpose. The
angling season viii be ripe you
know about the time expect to
reach home. The attendance at the
fair during the fore part OF the day on
Sundays is practically nil, so this
week | get an early breakfast and
then took Geary street car for the
Cliff House, at the extreme western
end of the peninsula which the city
Of San Francisco covers. | don't know
exactly how many miles it is from
Market street to the end Of Geary
street but by applying the scale to
the map it would appear to be nearly
ten miles, At any rate left the car
at the term nus and walked back, by
following up the length Of Golden
Gate Park to its eastern entrance and
then north. through the Preside re-
serve to the exposition. The view Of
the open expanse Of the Pacific was
in itself, to an "inlander" like me,
worth the effort. It is a long time
nee / last saw Golden Gate park,
about 23 years, l think, to be exact.
Then it was largely a great waste Of
sand dunes, now it is a wonderfully
beautiful and interesting piece of ma
ture right within the limits of a great
city. With the except on of a system
of excellent paths and driveways the
western end Of the park shows few Of
the characteristics of a formal park.
There are tangles OF dnderbrush.
ponds and brooks quite like a bit Of
actual wild country Valley quail, en-
tirely unrestrained are quite numer-
Gus and mallard ducks and coots, or
mud hens" can be seen on all the
ponds and mashy places. These wild
birds hes de numerous other species
Of the native song and inseetiverous
birds inhabit the park and add to its
attractiveness. At a little museum,
near the cliff House. l noticed an i'm
mense carcass lying near the sidewalk.
which / at first took to be a stuffed
specimen Of one of the big sea lions
which inhabit Seal Rocks" On 60
ing over for a near view, however,
was surprised to find that it was a
real sea lion which had been dragged
up from the beach the day previous
where ii had stranded after its death,
presumably as the result of a battle
with some rival The barker for
the museum avered that it would
weigh 5000 pounds but think he went
little strong. II was a mighty big
"critter' nevertheless and a very in
teresting sight. OF course the things
in the park that interested me most
are the wild creatures and natural
things and there are enough of them
TO occupy ones time for several days.
Most of their mammals seem COM
! Portable and contented but a few OF
them are just the reverse and they
ought to either improve their con-
clifton or dispose of them. They have
fine lot Of American bison, elk and
deer of number of species. l was
attracted to spec al notice of the herd
Of bull elk and bison There are
about 20 head of bison and two OF
three male elk. all of which look like
| perfect specimens in excellent shape
The buffalo are just now shedding
their winter coats and look very
rough and ragged but the coat of new
hair is sleek and fine and they are
all fat They have herd of Alaska
! moose that is not quite so creditable.