Page:History of California (Bancroft) volume 6.djvu/25



THE PENINSULA. 7

George Hyde  and  a  sapient  council. The population is chiefly  composed  of  enterprising  Americans,  sturdy pioneers, with  a  due  admixture  of  backwoodsmen and seafarers,  numerous  artisans,  and  a  sprinkling  of traders  and  professional  men — all  stanch  townsmen, figuring for  beach  lots  at  prices  ranging  as  high  as $600,  and  for  local  offices. There are  rival  districts struggling for  supremacy,  and  two  zealous  weekly newspapers.

Less imposing  are  the  immediate  surroundings; for the  town  spreads  out  in  a  straggling  crescent along the  slope  of  the  Clay-street  hill,  bordered  by the  converging  inclines  of  Broadway  and  California streets on  the  north  and  south  respectively. A thin coating of  grass  and  melancholy  shrubs  covers  the sandy surface  between  and  around,  with  here  and there patches  of  dwarfed  oaks,  old  and  decrepit,  bend- ing before the  sweeping  west  wind. The monotony incident to  Spanisli  and  Mexican  towns,  however, with their  low  and  bare  adobe  houses  and  sluggish population, is  here  relieved  by  the  large  proportion  of compact  wooden  buildings  in  northern  European  style,^ and the  greater  activity  of  the  dwellers. The beach, hollowed by  the  shallow  Yerba  Buena  Cove,  on  which fronts the  present  Montgomery  street,  presents  quite an animated  scene  for  these  sleepy  shores,  with  its bales of  merchandise  strewn  about,  and  piled-up  boxes and barrels,  its  bustling  or  lounging  frequenters,  and its three  projecting  wharves;^  while  a  short  distance off lie  scattered  a  few  craft,  including  one  or  two ocean-going vessels. Farther away,  fringed  by  the fading hills  of  Contra  Costa,  rises  the  isle  of  Yerba Buena, for  which  some  wild  goats  shortly  provide the new  name  of  Goat  Island. On its  eastern  side  is  a half-ruined  rancheria,  still  braving  the  encroachments of time  and  culture.

'There were  160  frame  buildings  and  only  35  adobe  houBes,  although  the latter were  mora  oonspicaoos  by  their  length  and  brightneas. 'At Cklifomia,  Clay,  and  Broadway  streets.