the steward on the steamer that we must
strictly follow the regulations laid down in the circular issued by the
Government, December, 1907. I paid the penalty of my honesty, and the
law was strictly enforced. I said to the custom house officer: "The lady
opposite was through nearly an hour ago." He remarked: "She probably
told a good many lies." And that was the consolation I had; having paid
my duty in a resigned frame of mind, believing in a protective tariff, I
departed.

The view of the harbor as we entered had seemed quite as it was of old,
and indeed its beauty impressed me more than ever before; but, as I left
the wharf and drove along some of the streets of the earthquake-stricken
city, there was a heartache, so much of wreck and ruin was evident. My
companion, who was in San Francisco two years before, told me that the
renovation seemed wonderful,--an opinion in which I concurred after
arriving at the St. Francis Hotel, for there were fine blocks newly
built in the vicinity.

I remained a few days in San Francisco, and visited certain familiar
points, most of my friends being out of the city in the month of July. I
went across to the beautiful suburb of Oakland and visited some shops
which seemed to me quite equal (except in their buildings) to those of
old. No one can visit San Francisco at the present time without being
impressed with the energy and enthusiasm displayed and by the amount of
work being accomplished.

I left on July 20th, over the Shasta route of the Southern Pacific. This
way is so widely known for its beauty of scenery that it seems
unnecessary to attempt any description. Mt. Shasta wore a smiling face
the morning of our arrival, the recent heat wave having melted much of
the snow that crowns its rugged summit.

Portland has a splendid location, with mountains and the sea alike
accessible, broad streets, and an unusually fine residence portion. Mt.
Hood was, however, wreathed in smoke on account of the prevailing forest
fires. The railway journey from Portland to Seattle is not lacking in
interest, as there is varied scenery the entire way.

A week in Seattle revived the impression of three years since, but the
city has made wonderful progress meanwhile, not only in growth of
population but in important public buildings and in the wealth of
private residences, particularly on the heights for which Seattle, like
San Francisco, is famous. Mt. Rainier was shrouded in mist and smoke,
but P