Year: 1875

Whoever approaches the Golden Gate,
or comes upon the bays adjacent thereto,
will see Tamalpais (Tam;al-pice) stand
ing like grim sentinel, guarding the
entrance to the seaport Of California,
Far ont at sea the mariner beholds his
peak, and the traveller by land is eOntln-
ually seeing new beauties in his profile
as he observes him from different aspects
The ascent of Tamalpais is made from
San Rafael in two hours and withoutaDy
great degree Of fatigue. A recent writer
has described the panorama from the
summit, which we incorporate: We were
on the ridge, aud turning to the left were
astonished to see the pole Of the coast
survey signal by which we knew that we
were on the summit, twenty-six hundred
feet above the sea. We had been just an
hour from Lagunitas. A dozen steps
brought us into the regular trail, but not
desiring to look until We got on the tip
top we logged on to, the signal station.
DismoantiRg and loosening the girths we
turn to view the great panorama at our
feet The 6rst thing which attracts
us is scene in the immediate
neighborhood of Point Rosita,
the north pillar of the Golden
Gate, There, just at our feet almost, 9
contest is going on in a little bit OF
wafer, between eight or nine toy vessels
some are square-rigged and some are
fore-and alters. They all have their
heads pointed inwards, but with light
wind and a head tide seem to be stand
ing stilL Can those be real ships and
schoonersY' we say. Can that be real
surf on, the beach for miles south Of the
Cliff House2 Can that be the Cliff
Housef We rub our eyes and conclude
to &c round the horizon with the sun.
That great table before us is the Pacific
Ocean, calm and serene, but his bosom
heaying with never cessing swells. Those
are odd1ooking birdsl No, they are out
ward bound vesselsl And there is a
black object, not as big as a lizzard,
which has its head to the northwest; that
is q propeller. Look beyond and we see
the Farallones miles away, but so near,
apparently. Outside Of them twenty or
thirty miles heavy fog bank skirts the
horizon. And what are those cliffs,
which stand up SO boldly little 10
the north Of west, and that long
narrow sheet Of water extending
into the country just back Of
them2 Point Reyes is one, and
the ether is Tomales Bay or sound. just
! before us looking toward Tomales is an
immense grove Of redwoods, many thou
| sands Of acres in extent Sull turn, and
you see far away in the northwest broad
summit rounded of on the eastern side.
That is st. Helena, and little to the
right, but much nearer neighbor, is
Dopahue. And still further tothe right
/ comes Vallejo, spread over many hills;
Suisun Bay and the marshes appear be-
yond Vallejo. The Brothers and Red
Rock, look as though you saw them


beautifully deliHeated on map. Alittle
10 the right and we have Mount Diablo,
no longer big double.headed potato
hill, but real monarch--a king among
kings. His sides look more corrugated
| from aloft, and he is generally more
grand and majestic. Swing again and


Berkeley comes in line, the two colleges
and the asylum being quite near. Fur
ther, and Oakland CLEANS within our
vision; and Goat Island, looking like q
sleeping horse, the body lying toward
San Francisco, the head and neck toward


Contra Costa. Here we experience a
disappointment, for haze and smoke
hang over the bay beyond Goat Island,
and partly obscure the metropolis We
are not able 10 identity particular
localities, but see only a great number


OF whitish houses covering the different


hills. A big ocean steamer is outward


bound, and is just passing Aleatraz,


and tugs and ferryboats smoke in front
of the city. Below is San Rafael and
surroundings, by far the prettiest Of all
the pictures. From where we sat to the


Court House is about four miles on an


air line, and yet it seemed not a mile,


not as far as you think it is from the
ridge south Of town. Every house, great


aud small, could be identified. II re.
minded us of very fine photograph, on


a rather large scale. One more picture
we must mention-thAt is the Lagunitas,


Nothing can excel the beauty of this


glistening, shiny little gem as seen


nesting in the hills beneath US.