Page:California Inter Pocula.djvu/218



dignity upon  the  dancing  waters,  whose  undulations transform her  wake  from  a  steady  stream  of  molten metal to  broken  bars,  as  of  a  shining  ladder  leading heavenward. Therewith she  pursues  her  modest  way.

The rising  sun — paling  the  glories  of  the  southern cross, and  as  enchanting  as  the  sunset  but  for  the  ab- sence of evening  vapors — few  lovers  see. Those to whom  the  sweet  joys  of  courtship  are  denied,  the married, and  the  hopelessly  incorrigable,  seek  other pastimes. Amateur theatricals  and  sham  trials  are instituted, in  which  no  small  amount  of  talent  and  wit are often  displayed ;  stories  are  told ;  politics,  science, and religion  discussed,  and  home,  and  California,  and gold-getting talked  about  Some  western  adventurer holds breathless  a  crowd  of  listeners  while  he  spins  a yarn  of  thrilling  deeds  among  the  savages,  and  of  hair- breadth escapes; then  another  undertakes  to  cap  the story by  improvising  a  more  startling  one,  and  so  the fun goes  on. The 4th  of  July,  Washington's  birth- day, and Christmas  were  usually  observed;  on  Saint Valentine's day  a  post-office  would  be  opened,  where  a list  of  names  was  posted,  and  missives  dealt  to  merry recipients. Some endeavored  to  sketch  the  coast  as they  sailed  by  it,  others  to  cut  its  outline  from  paper.

Suddenly the  steam-whistle,  with  a  long  shrill blast, sounds  the  alarm  of  fire,  and  the  terrible  cry  is taken  up  and  thrown  from  one  to  another  until  it reaches  the  uttermost  parts  of  the  ship. Pale faces flit to  and  fro,  and  tremblhig  knees  stagger  no whither. For a  moment  all  is  hubbub  and  confusion; but soon  every  man  is  at  his  post;  the  hose  is  un- coiled, the water  is  turned  on,  the  decks  are  flooded, the life-boats  are  made  ready  and  the  life-preservers dragged out. Some stand  by,  ready  to  lower  the boats, and  others  with  pistols  and  cutlasses  place themselves on  guard  prepared  to  strike  down  any  who should attempt  to  jump  into  them  without  leave; others with  uplifted  axes  seek  the  thrice  dreaded  foe