Page:California Inter Pocula.djvu/297



dis splendid  bull,  sartin  shore ;  an'  de  chicken  fight what's a-gwine  to  take  place  arter  de  bull-fight  which am a-gwine  to  take  place  'fore  de  chicken  fight. Bof of 'em  togeder  has  been  obliged  to  be  postponded  till de next  day,  which  am  to-morrow  arternoon  in  case it should  be  a  fair  day  an'  not  rain."

The plank  road  to  the  Mission  was  the  boulevard of 1852-3,  the  first  established  public  drive  and  public promenade in  San  Francisco. Winding among  the sand-hills from  Mission  or  Howard  streets,  the  road then boasted  its  four-horse  omnibus  line  and  its  two toll gates. On every  pleasant  day,  from  morning  till night, it  was  thronged  with  men  of  fashion  and  women of pleasure,  idlers,  loafers,  gamblers,  babies  with  their mammas or  nurses,  making  their  several  displays  in their  vehicles  of  divers  descriptions,  each  after  the  bent of his  own  wise  or  foolish  fancy. Along the  road  were vegetable and  flower  gardens,  and  some  little  white cottages were  soon  seen  here  and  there  nestling  among the sand-hills. Here San  Francisco  took  the  air; her 3 was  the  resort  at  that  time  of  San  Francisco  s best  society.

Another great  promenade  of  the  city  about  this time, or  a  little  later,  was  Stockton  street  from  Wash- ington street to  Washington  square. It was  then but partially  graded  and  planked,  but  on  it  were  the handsome private  residences  and  the  principal  churches. West of  this  the  streets  were  for  the  most  part  in  a state  of  nature,  though  many  pretty  cottages  and some fine  larger  houses  dotted  the  hillside. Dupont street, with  its  saloons  and  small  shops,  was  a  thronged and busy  place. At night  the  gambling  shops  and stores were  brilliantly  lighted,  and  in  the  different  sa- loons were women  in  great  variety,  Spanish,  English, German, French,  Kanaka,  and  Chinese. During the day it  was  the  chief  thoroughfare  between  the  busi- ness portion of  the  town  and  the  residences  in  the direction of  North  Beach. The custom  house,  city