Page:California Inter Pocula.djvu/283

 rushed

to the  hills ;  others  mounted  horses,  and  riding  to  the cliff, watched  the  little  cloud  of  smoke  under  the  sky- line thicken and  blacken ;  watched  the  vessel  emerge as first  the  smoke-stack  and  spars,  and  then  the  hull appeared above  the  horizon ;  watched  the  little  speck grow into  a  great  leviathan,  as  lazily — oh  ! how lazily as it  appeared  to  those  on  shore  as  well  as  those  on board — it  ploughed  the  sea  and  entered  the  Golden Gate ;  then  returning,  watched  the  little  boats  as  they put out  from  shore  to  board  the  monster — the  quar- antine officer's boat,  perhaps,  with  the  yellow  flag,  the Merchant's Exchange  boat,  and  the  express  compa- nies' boats; watched  the  white  smoke  from  the steamer's gun  curl  up  and  float  away  in  clouds,  while the report  reverberating  through  the  streets  roused the more  abstracted  occupants  from  their  soul-absorb- ing work.

Then a  stream  of  hacks,  and  wagons,  and  drays, and men  on  foot,  hotel-runners,  working-men,  busi- ness-men, and loafers,  set  in  toward  the  wharf Proudly the  great  ship  sweeps  round  the  bay  to  the city front,  as  if  conscious  of  the  admiring  gaze  of  the multitude; leisurely,  and  with  majestic  dignity,  as  if disdaining  to  make  an  exhibition  of  her  strength. Now she  stops  her  wheels,  and  yawns,  and  blows,  and stretches her  neck,  after  her  fortnight's  journey ;  then as she  drops  into  her  berth,  the  crowds  on  ship  and shore begin  their  noisy  jests  and  salutations. Hearts are there  heavy  with  anxiety,  waiting  for  tidings  it may  be  which  will  affect  their  entire  future ;  but  on that  sea  of  upturned  faces  you  find  no  lowering  clouds; the rippling  waves  are  wreathed  in  smiles,  and  the stron-J-er surges  break  into  hilarity  and  badinage. Some' are  there  to  meet  their  friends,  others  from curiosity ; some  have  climbed  from  small  boats  up  the side of  the  vessel  while  she  was  approaching  the wharf; others  stand  on  the  tops  of  piers,  and  when  the ship is  within  a  few  feet  leap  on  to  the  deck,  where  there