her Pedro Font and his
Expedition.--The Mission Indians.--Chinese Feast of the
Dead.--Curious Weather.

SAN FRANCISCO, October 30, 1875.

We have found a magnificent situation. Our little house is perched on
such a height, that every one wonders how we ever discovered it. The
site of the city was originally a collection of immense sandhills, on
the sides and tops of which the houses were built, many of them before
the streets were laid out and graded. When the grades were finally
determined, and the hills cut through,--as some of them were,--houses
were often left perched far above, on the edge of a cliff, and almost as
inaccessible as a feudal castle. I feel as if ours might be an eagle's
nest, and enjoy the wildness and solitude of it. So does our Scotch
shepherd dog, who has been used to lonely places. Sometimes, just as the
sun is rising, we see him sitting out on the sandhills, looking about
with such a contented expression that it seems as if he smiled. He opens
his mouth to drink in the wind, as if it were a delicious draught to
him.

The hills are covered with sage-brush, full of little twittering birds.
My bed is between two windows, and they fly across from one to the
other, without minding me at all. Opposite is Alcatraz, a fortified
island, but very peaceful-looking, the waves breaking softly all around
it. It has still the Spanish name of the white pelicans with which it
used to be covered. The commander of the fort died since we came here,
and was carried across the water, with music, to Angel Island, to be
buried.

Across the bay is a low line of hills, with softly rounded outlines.
They are of pale russet color, from the red earth, and thin, dried
grass, that covers them. Farther to the north is Mount Tamalpias, with
sharper outlines.

NOVEMBER 8, 1875.

The China boys generally refuse to come out here to live with us, saying
it is "too far, too far." The unsettled appearance of this part of the
city does not please them. To-day we succeeded in securing a small one.
He is a curious-looking little creature, with a high pointed head,
stiff, black hair, and small, sparkling eyes. He seems like a little
gnome, and might have been living in the bowels of the earth, in mines
and caverns, with black coal and bright jewels about him. Before he
would agree to come, he said he must go and consult the idol in the
temple. He burned little fragrant sticks before him; but how he divined
what