Page:History of California (Bancroft) volume 6.djvu/27



ABOUT THE  BAY. 9

In the  rear  of  the  town,  which  extends  only  be- tween California and  Vallejo  streets  to  Powell  on  the west, from  the  direction  of  the  Lone  Mountain  and beyond, comes  a  spur  of  the  Coast  Range,  tipped  by the  Papas  Peaks. To either  side  diverges  a  trail,  one toward the  inlet  of  the  bay,  where  is  the  presidio enclosure, with  its  low  adobe  buildings,  and  to  which the new  American  occupants  have  added  frame  houses, and earthworks  with  ordnance  superior  to  the  blatant muzzles of  yore. Two miles  to  the  south,  beyond  the sand hills,  lies  Mission  Dolores,  its  dilapidated  walls marked by  darkened  tile  roofs,  scantily  relieved  by clumps  of  trees  and  shrubs. The cheerless  stone fences now  enclose  winter's  verdure,  and  beyond  the eddying creek,  which  flows  through  the  adjoining fields, the  sandy  waste  expands  into  inviting  pasture, partly covered  by  the  Kincon  farm  and  government reserve.®

The opposite  shores  of  the  bay  present  a  most  beau- tiful park-like expanse,  the  native  lawn,  brilliant  with flowers, and  dotted  by  eastward-bending  oaks,  watered by the  creeks  of  Alameda,  San  Lorenzo,  San  Leandro, and their  tributaries,  and  enclosed  by  the  spurs  of  the Diablo mountains. It had  early  attracted  settlers, whose grants  now  cover  the  entire  ground. The first to occupy  there  was  the  Mission  San  Jos^,  famed  for its orchards  and  vineyards,®  and  now  counting  among its tenants  and  settlers  James  F.  Reed,  Perry  Mor- rison, Earl Marshall,  and  John  M.  Horner. ^^ Below are the  ranchos  of  Agua  Caliente  and  Los  Tularcitos ; and above,  Potrero  de  los  Cerritos;"  while  behind, among  encircling  hills,  is  the  valley  of  San  Jos^,  the pathway  to  the  Sacramento,  and  through  which  runs

the miasion  groand,  was  iu  charge  at  Dolores. The Raucho  Punta  de  Lobos of B.  Diaz  extended  to  the  north-west.
 * Padre P.  Saotillaa,  who  afterward  became  conspicTioua  as  a  claimant  to

later re jected.
 * In charge  of  Padre  EeaL  The  claim  of  Alvarado  and  Pico  to  the  soil  was

^'The latter  a  Mormon,  living  with  his  wife  at  the  present  Washington Comers, and  subsequently  prominent.

^ The  former  two  square  leagues  in  extent,  and  transferred  by  A.  Sufiol  to F.  Hignera;  the  latter  three  leagues,  and  held  by  A.  Alviso  and  T.  Pacheco.