pot for a cemetery, on the rising ground behind the
city, is also finely ornamented with choice trees and flowering shrubs,
among which are pines, cypresses, Australian gum trees (evergreen),
mimosas, and many other blooming plants, well arranged for good effect.
The scarlet geranium here grows six and eight feet high, producing with
its brilliant bloom a dazzling effect. The same drive which conducts to
the cemetery, a little further on brought us to a most delightful public
garden and park combined. Here were broad roads, as smooth and perfect
as roads can be made; footpaths leading into inviting groves, beautiful
lawns relieved by groups of graceful trees, lakes, and fountains, with
several large ornamental conservatories for the most delicate exotics.
The whole formed an exposition of landscape gardening of which any city
might be proud.

A couple of miles beyond this noble park brought us to the Cliff House,
a favorite resort of the people, situated on a high bluff of the Pacific
coast and affording an ocean view only limited by the powers of the
human vision. Looking due west, no land intervenes between this shore
and the far-off coast of Japan, a distance of five thousand miles, which
we were destined soon to traverse. Two hundred yards off the shore, just
opposite the Cliff, a large rock rises from the sea some hundred feet or
more, upon which scores of sea-lions come out of the water at all hours
of the day to sun themselves, affording a very peculiar and amusing
sight. They are of all sizes, weighing from fifty to one thousand
pounds, some of the old ones even exceeding this estimate, yet
possessing a muscular power which enables them easily to climb the rough
side of the precipitous rock. The half roar, half bark of the herd comes
with harsh discordance upon the ear of the listener at the Cliff. The
law of the State protects these sea-lions from all sorts of molestation;
so here they quarrel among themselves furiously, suckle their young,
tumble into the sea, and thrive and multiply.

In many respects San Francisco resembles a New England capital,--a very
natural result when we remember that a large percentage of her people
are natives of these Eastern States. She has copied the Boston school
system almost exactly, and there are few of our oldest cities so well
organized in this department of progress, though the city is but little
over twenty years of age, dating from the time when she first came
prominentl