The few
that are brought in are placed under sheds in winter, or left out on
the wharf in summer, and are loaded from the wharves into the
vessels alongside. They form parts of cargoes of other materials." I
really felt too much, at the instant, to express to him the cause of
my interest in the subject, and only added, "Then the old business
of trading up and down the coast and curing hides for cargoes is all
over?" "O yes, sir," said he, "those old times of the Pilgrim and
Alert and California, that we read about, are gone by."
Saturday, August 20th. The steamer Senator makes regular trips up
and down the coast, between San Francisco and San Diego, calling at
intermediate ports. This is my opportunity to revisit the old
scenes. She sails to-day, and I am off, steaming among the great
clippers anchored in the harbor, and gliding rapidly round the
point, past Alcatraz Island, the light-house, and through the
fortified Golden Gate, and bending to the southward,- all done in two
or three hours, which, in the Alert, under canvas, with head tides,
variable winds, and sweeping currents to deal with, took us full two
days.
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